Many people have the habit of trying to get out of bed to exercise even though they did not sleep well the night before.
However, according to sleep and neurology experts, trying to force yourself to move in a state of exhaustion not only causes performance decline but also significantly increases the risk of injury.
Dr. Anil Ramakrishna, senior consultant neurologist at SPARSH Hospital (Yelahanka, Bangalore), said poor sleep leads to hormonal imbalances, decreased alertness and slowed down reactions.
This makes practitioners susceptible to slipping, straining muscles or technical problems.
He emphasized that exercising in a state of lack of sleep even increases cholesterol and hinders muscle recovery.
Many people who are passionate about exercising still choose to go to the gym as planned, but according to Dr. Manjusha Agarwal (Gleneagles Hospital, Mumbai), the most scientific choice when not sleeping well is to prioritize rest.
Sleep is the time when the body repairs muscle tissue, rebalances hormones and restores energy.
If this need is ignored, the quality of the workout will certainly decline because the body is working with limited energy.
Dr. Agarwal recommends that if you sleep less than 56 hours, it is best to postpone the workout.
Adding 6090 minutes of sleep can significantly improve your mood, concentration, and performance.
After rest, practitioners can still do light activities such as walking, yoga, stretching or homework later in the day.
In case you sleep less than usual but still feel stable (about 6 hours), you can exercise but should choose low intensity instead of lifting heavy weights or doing strong cardio.
This helps maintain the rhythm of movement without putting additional pressure on the nervous system and muscles.
According to Dr. Ramakrishna, taking a break in the morning or getting a short sleep helps regulate circadian rhythm and improve metabolic function.
After recovery, the body can respond better to light exercises in the afternoon or evening.
On the contrary, exercising heavily when lacking sleep can easily make the practitioner exhausted, have prolonged pain or lose motivation.
The most important principle is to ensure adequate sleep.
A well-rested body not only reduces the risk of injury but also burns calories more effectively, increases muscle recovery and improves strength in the long term.
Therefore, instead of considering sleep compensation as lazy, consider it a necessary preparation step to maintain a sustainable sedentary lifestyle.
(The article is for reference only, not a replacement for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor if you have health questions).
