Pushups Before Bed – Will You Sleep Better After Pushups?

Some will tell you that the concept of working out before bed time is the best and that you will get so tired that way and then fall asleep very easily and quickly. On the other hand, there will be those who will try to convince you that you must avoid that, because it will have a very negative effect on quality sleep.

The problem is to determine who is right and how is wrong, because both concepts are advocated by some respectable fitness instructors and doctors.

The first thing you should have in mind is that you need to listen to your body, because that way you will best assess what is optimal for you. The other thing is that you shouldn’t take everything you read for granted, because the advice that is great for elite athletes does not mean that it is good for you too.

If you follow our advice to do push-ups at least one hour before going to bed, then the number of push-ups is not affected by the timing of the workout. What will determine the number of reps and sets is your current fitness level as well as your goal. If you have never done push-ups or at least not recently, try doing 3 sets of 10 reps.

If your fitness level is advanced, then you can do 200 or more push-ups during one workout. Also, a great test of your current fitness level and cardiovascular health is to do as many push-ups as you can within a minute. That way you can test yourself every month or two.

Push-ups are a bodyweight exercise that activates a large number of muscles. So don't be surprised if you can't perform even a single push-up. But that doesn't mean you have to give up, on the contrary. You just need to start with a form of this exercise that is not so demanding, and that is wall push-ups.

Since you will push against the wall, not the floor, the load will be lower due to reduced gravity. Also, if you have a problem with wrist, wall pushups are a great alternative. Be persistent and after some period of time you will be able to perform standard pushups.

Knee pushups are another form of this exercise that is easier than regular push-ups or advanced forms. After wall pushups have become too easy and regular pushups are still too hard, try knee pushups. This will help you strengthen your whole body even more, including the wrist, before you move on to the next level.

Now we come to the part where we talk about forms that are more challenging compared to regular push-ups. Incline pushups are not significantly harder than regular pushups, but target some other muscles, and also reduce pressure on the wrist, shoulders and other upper body joints. So if you are too strong for wall and knee pushups but have problems with wrist and shoulders then try incline.

Decline pushups are quite hard for a beginner, and target much more shoulders and upper chest compared to regular pushups that target more triceps and core muscles. This does not mean that one or the other version completely excludes some of these muscles, but the load that muscles have to bear differs. Always be sure to perform the exercise correctly, because if it is too hard for you, you will not be able to perform it properly and then you risk injury and there is no benefit.

There are many benefits of push-ups. It is a functional exercise that will make you stronger and your cardiovascular system healthier. You will notice how your muscles grow primarily chest, shoulders, triceps and forearms since pushups are great muscle building exercise.

And you will strengthen the core, which is important because of the posture, but also so that you can perform more complex exercises such as deadlifts. What’s really great about push-ups is that you don’t need any equipment or space for exercise, but you can do push-ups everywhere.

Also, any coach can easily adapt push-ups for beginners, those who have an injury or a specific goal.  And it doesn't take time to learn to perform push-ups, as is the case with Olympic lifts, deadlifts and the like.

You have to be physically tired to sleep well. And a man working in an office finds it very difficult to get physically tired, while mentally he is very exhausted, and both are detrimental to a good night’s sleep. After doing push-ups, taking a shower and having dinner, you will surely fall asleep within an hour or two and have good night's rest.

Recommended reading:

• Falling asleep in less than 5 minutes

Any type of workout, including pushups, is good for our immune system because blood and lymph flow faster when you are physically active. White blood cells then circulate quickly through our body and then they can detect illness faster and better. The immune system is not only essential for fighting the flu, but it should prevent much more serious diseases such as cancer.

A regular workout consisting only of warm-ups, pushups and cool down / stretching has an intensity that is ideal two hours before bed. But if you like high-intensity workouts, then you shouldn't do it later than 7 PM, of course, it depends on the time you go to bed.

Strenuous physical activity will make you very tired in the first moment when you finish, but there is a possibility that after a few hours you will feel a lot of energy, something that is certainly not desirable before bedtime.

So there is no need to limit the number of sets and reps, but the intensity should not be 100%, rather somewhere around 70%.

Yes, you should do pushups as evening exercise except in two cases. The first case is if you do not have enough time so you will do a workout 15 minutes before bed and the intensity will be too high. Then it will negatively affect your night's sleep.

It is important that your body has enough time to cool down core body temperature and digest the meal before bed. Another case is if you notice that workout does not suit you if it is after 3 PM, for example. Someone's circadian rhythm is such that he or she enjoys physical activity only if it is in the morning.

Other than that, a pushup is a fantastic exercise, one of the best bodyweight exercises that exists. It will strengthen your whole body and the possibility of injury is very small as with most bodyweight exercises, unlike weight training where one wrong move can cause injury. Also, when you lift weights, ego lifting is common and then injuries can happen at any moment.