Everything You Need to Know About Working Out the Day After a Late Night
This content is brought to you in partnership with OrthoCarolina, one of the nation's leading orthopedic practices with offices across the Southeast.
Picture it: You stayed up later than usual. Maybe you had a few drinks. Then you wake up the next morning wondering whether or not you should exercise like you normally would.
We spoke with Sean Brown, PT and DPT at OrthoCarolina, to find out everything you need to know about working out after a late night.
Concern #1: Lack of Sleep
"Alcohol disrupts natural sleep cycles, so even though you feel fatigued or feel like you fall asleep easily, your sleep is lower in quality," Brown explained. "This can inhibit performance the following day, and it can also reduce recovery from previous bouts of activity."
Studies from the American College of Sports Medicine have indicated that failing to obtain the recommended amount of sleep can threaten both athletic performance and overall health, and that better sleep may reduce the risk of both injury and illness in athletes, not only optimizing health but also potentially enhancing performance.
"When you wake up the next day, you are likely to feel fatigued, and your performance is more likely to suffer as a result," Brown added.
All that to say: If you slept poorly, chances are that a workout isn't necessarily in your best interest. You may benefit more from additional hours of sleep than you would from exercising, depending how tired you feel when you awake in the morning.
Concern #2: Dehydration
You know how you wake up the morning after having a few drinks feeling super dehydrated? There's a medical reason for that.
"Your body contains a hormone called anti-diuretic hormone,(ADH) which keeps your kidneys from excreting water (urinating). Alcohol inhibits this hormone, which means your body excretes water that it would not otherwise. This is why you become dehydrated when you drink," Brown explained.
The first priority after you wake up, then, should be hydrating. You should aim to be re-hydrated by the time you actually begin your workout. But why, you ask?
"When you are dehydrated, your heart has to pump more frequently (i.e. your heart rate is increased) to provide your body with a given amount of oxygen," Brown said. "This means that any given workload is going to feel more challenging compared to when you perform it in a more hydrated state."
So, if you want your workout to have any real impact on your health and fitness goals, make sure you focus on hydrating first!
Concern #3: Low Energy
We're going to talk through some quick math and science here, but bear with us! It will make sense in a minute.
A calorie is a unit of energy.
Carbohydrates and proteins each have 4 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram.
Based on that information, you'd think that alcohol would offer you more energy, not less, right?
Wrong.
"Alcohol as fuel is not as effective as carbohydrates, since many more enzymes and chemical processes are involved before the energy is available," Brown explained. "Carbohydrates (glucose and muscle glycogen, in particular) are going to provide the most efficient fuel source that is most readily available for your workout."
Brown also added that because alcohol does have so many calories, it also makes weight gain easier (since those excess calories from alcohol are converted to fatty acids, they can be stored as fat). Beer belly, anyone?
So, should you work out after a late night?
The answer varies depending how much sleep you got (and the quality of that sleep), your energy levels, and your dehydration level.
If you're feeling slightly sluggish, but still want to get a workout in, consider opting for a strength-training session vs. a cardio exercise. This will keep your heart rate lower — so, even if you are dehydrated, your heart won't have to pump quite so frequently to provide your body with enough oxygen.
Learn more about making healthy choices from the experts at OrthoCarolina
Whether you've recently experienced an injury, need help with recovery after tough workouts, or are simply experiencing chronic pain and need help managing it, OrthoCarolina can help. Make an appointment at a location near you to start getting the treatment you need.