Often, people who are actively involved in sports complain: "I can't sleep after a workout." Why is this happening? After all, physical activity usually contributes to sound sleep. However, it also happens that a person after a sports load cannot fall asleep for a long time or constantly wakes up. Consider the possible causes of such insomnia and ways to deal with it.
Training is stressful for the body
Sports training is a kind of stress for the body. All systems and organs have to work at the limit of their capabilities. Often athletes are perplexed: "Why not fall asleep after a workout?" After all, subjectively, a person feels very tired after such a strong load.
However, we must not forget that exercise can also have a stimulating effect on the body. The endocrine system at the time of exercise releases hormones that cause an increase in heart rate, increased sweating and an increase in body temperature. Training is often not relaxing, but stimulating.
It's not uncommon for athletes to say, "I can't sleep after a workout." If a person was engaged in physical exercises in the afternoon, then this is a natural phenomenon. After all, a few hours before going to bed, the body was subjected to increased stress. As a result, the nervous and endocrine systems continue to work in an enhanced mode at night.
Reasons
Let's look at the most common causes of insomnia after exercise:
- Increased production of cortisol. This adrenal hormone has a stimulating effect and helps to adapt to physical stress. Normally, it falls in the evening and at night, but rises in the morning. If a person trains in the evening, then the body has to produce cortisol in an increased amount. Athletes often say: "I can't sleep after an evening workout." This is due to the fact that cortisol levels after exercise have not yet had time to fall by night.
- Increased secretion of adrenaline and norepinephrine. The production of these hormones increases with the load on the muscles. They also have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, promote vigor and increased activity. It is important to remember that the level of adrenaline drops rapidly, and noradrenaline can be increased even 2 days after training. This can cause insomnia.
- Increased body temperature. Sometimes you can hear such complaints: "After training, do notI can fall asleep, and when sleep does come, I constantly wake up.
- Dehydration. During exercise, sweating is always increased. Therefore, athletes are advised to drink water during training. Otherwise, dehydration is formed, which leads to a decrease in melatonin, the sleep hormone.
Next, we will look at methods of dealing with insomnia, depending on the cause of its occurrence.
Adaptation of the body
Very often beginner athletes ask: "Why can't I sleep after training?" This is due to the fact that the human body has not yet adapted to physical activity.
Experienced athletes usually fall asleep easily even after evening workouts. For them, such physical stress is normal. Sleep problems occur when the load becomes unusual. This can be for beginner athletes, as well as after a competition or at the first training session after a long break.
Usually such insomnia disappears on its own after a few days. The body adapts to the load, and sleep normalizes.
Excessive exercise
In sports there is such a thing as "overtraining". This is the state when the volume and intensity of training exceeds recoverybody's abilities. As a result, the level of cortisol and norepinephrine hormones does not have time to normalize in a person. One symptom of this condition is insomnia.
Often, athletes after intensive preparation for important competitions say: "I can't sleep after training." What to do in this case? After all, reducing physical activity is not always possible.
With "overtraining" it is useful to take a contrast shower before going to bed and drink warm milk with honey. This will calm the body. The sleeping room should be maintained at a cool temperature (about +20 degrees). Before falling asleep, you should try to relax your muscles as much as possible.
Quickly sleep will help breathing exercises count. You need to inhale for 4 counts, and exhale for 8 counts. During exhalation, you need to release the air first from the chest, and then from the abdomen. Such breathing exercises will help normalize the level of cortisol and norepinephrine.
Emotional overdrive
During training, a person's brain biochemistry changes. A large amount of dopamine and endorphins are produced. These compounds are called joy hormones. They really lift the spirits. However, these substances can also cause excessive emotional arousal that interferes with sleep.
In this case, light soothing preparations based on plants can help: valerian, hawthorn, motherwort. You should only avoid taking tinctures on alcoholbasis. Do not take strong sleeping pills. Such drugs cause lethargy and drowsiness during the day, and as a result, a person cannot fully exercise.
Sports nutrition
There are times when physical activity is moderate, and the athlete is emotionally calm, but nevertheless he has difficulty falling asleep. The person is perplexed: "Why can't I sleep after a workout?"
Many people involved in sports use special nutrition. Such products are called pre-workout complexes. They usually contain useful amino acids and proteins. But they can also include energy supplements (caffeine and taurine). They stimulate the central nervous system. Their excess can lead not only to insomnia, but also to tachycardia and increased blood pressure.
In this case, it is useful to take a decoction of chamomile at night. It somewhat stops the action of stimulants. If caffeine is included in sports nutrition, then you need to eat well and drink plenty of water. This will reduce the effect of the energy drink.
Some strength sports people take gainers. These are carbohydrate mixtures that provide the body with all the necessary substances for increased physical activity. However, gainers should not be taken at night. Otherwise, the body will spend energy on the digestion of carbohydrates, and it will be very difficult to fall asleep. If you accidentally took such an additive in the evening, then digestive enzymes can help: Mezim, Festal, Creon. They arehelp the body quickly process nutrients.
