Sleepy After Working Out: Understanding The Science Behind It

Do you feel a wave of drowsiness wash over you each time you complete a good workout? Fret not! Feeling sleepy after working out is common. Professional athletes experience it, too. But why? Is it a sign of fatigue, or is there more at play?

Here’s a comprehensive guide about why your body craves rest after pushing its limits. Read on and also learn how to recover quickly from post-workout fatigue.

Why do I feel sleepy after working out?

Usually, feeling weak and tired after workouts is your body's natural reaction to intense physical activities. Some people can feel tired after a gym workout, while others are tired the day after exercise. The following are the possible causes:   

Nutritional gaps

During exercise, your muscles rely on glycogen as a key energy source. If you don’t eat sufficiently, your glycogen stores become depleted, leading to fatigue, weakness, and even dizziness.

Dehydration

During training, you lose water and electrolytes through sweat. If you don’t rehydrate in time to replace the lost fluids, you can become dehydrated. This raises the body temperature and heart rate, contributing to feeling fatigued after working out. In fact, this is often the most ignored yet common reason behind post-workout sleepiness.

Lactic acid buildup

When you exercise intensely, your lactic acid levels can go really high to fuel your muscles. If your body can't break down the lactic acid and your kidneys fail to keep up, it can lead to lactic acidosis. You feel muscle cramps, weakness, nausea, and exhaustion, an unpleasant feeling after exercises.    

Overtraining

If you don’t rest and recover between sets of continuous high-intensity exercising, you may get overtraining syndrome. This causes systemic inflammation, which can lead to persistent fatigue, muscle soreness, and drowsiness after exercise. You should scale back your workout intensity and ensure more rest between sets.

Endurance levels

Your exercise stamina reflects your body's ability to sustain prolonged physical activity. Pushing yourself beyond your current fatigue and dehydration endurance level will deplete your energy stores faster. This may lead to feelings of fatigue and potential sleepiness after a workout.

Depletion of neurotransmitters

Exercise influences your neurotransmitter levels. These are chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which aid in sending signals from the brain to muscles. They’re also involved in regulating sleep, mood, and energy levels. Strenuous training may temporarily deplete these neurotransmitters. It can lead to fatigue and make you feel like taking a nap after your workout.

Should I take a nap after workout?

Do you feel a mix of exhaustion and accomplishment after finishing a killer workout? A lot of athletes swear by a post-workout nap for recovery. But is it really the right choice for you? Let’s weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of post-workout naps:

Pros

Cons

As seen above, post-workout naps can have many potential benefits. But they can sometimes be very inconvenient.

For example, if you quickly need to work after a morning exercise, it is barely possible for you to take a nap. Surely you don't want to feel so much trouble and discomfort every time you work out. The good news is that there are ways you can take as a precaution to prevent after-workout sleepiness and improve your workout routine.

Hydration tracker: best way to avoid feeling sleepy after workout

Often, you can avoid post-workout fatigue by hydrating and replenishing properly in advance and on time.

Electrolyte imbalance is often the most overlooked reason for post-exercise tiredness. Your body loses a massive amount of water, electrolytes, glucoses, and other nutrients during high-impact activities. The loss of water and electrolytes not only make you tired easily, but also impact your attention and focus during training.

Many online resources may recommend you to replenish, stretch, take a walk, or get some fresh air to recover from feeling sleepy after working out. But don’t you want to feel your best as soon as possible?

In that case, do you know how much you should consume? You surely don’t want to overtake if you aim to get a fit, athletic body, or overburden your kidney. Also, how certain are you that stretching can get you bounced back quickly?

This is where the Liipoo AbsolutSweat hydration biosensor comes in handy.

What is Liipoo AbsolutSweat?

Liipoo AbsolutSweat is a miniaturized portable sweat tracker designed for professional athletes and fitness lovers. It comes with a sweat data app, a hydration pod, and an exercise biopatch that tracks your water and electrolyte loss when exercising.

Here is how it works：

It also records your fluid intake and gives rehydration time and an energy supply plan for post-workout replenishment. It tracks your previous workout data and creates a scientific pre-workout replenishment plan. This way, you know what, how, and when to eat.

How does Liipoo help you avoid post-exercise fatigue?

How to use the Liipoo AbsolutSweat hydration biosensor?

Ready to get your sweat analysis? The Liipoo AbsolutSweat biosensor is super simple to utilize.  Start tracking your sweating rate, water loss, hydration state, and dehydration tolerance now!

Step 1: Set up the Liipoo sweat tracker

First, open the Liipoo hydration test kit’s case and turn it on. Wait for the light indicator to indicate that it is active.

Download the Liipoo AbsolutSweat mobile application from the Google Play Store or Apple's App Store. To pair the tracker with the app, scan the tracker's QR code or enter the MAC number.

Add the sweat patch to the tracker kit on the inner side of the lid.  

Set the tracker in the kit. Flip it so that the 12 pins face up and the strobing light faces down.

Press the tracker on the sweat patch for up to five seconds. Ensure you press tightly for the best grip.

The sweat tracker kit is now ready for use. To expose the part that will stick to your skin, tear the opening. We recommend that you wear the biosensor on your chest for optimal performance.  

Step 2: Start tracking

Use the Liipoo AbsolutSweat app to track your workout data and get personalized post-workout hydration plans and performance evaluations.

How to recover quickly from drowsiness after exercise?

Napping is never the ultimate solution if your goal is to get fit, feel better after workouts, or improve your athletic performance.

So, how should you recover quickly from feeling sleepy after exercising? A scientific approach can help you combat feeling drained after exercise! Find out more below.  

Hydrate and eat before workout

Drinking fluids and eating foods that digest quickly will provide the energy you need to burn before hitting the ground. Many professionals will recommend this method. But how do you know exactly how much you should take in? Based on your past workout performance from Liipoo, you can know when, how, and what to eat before a workout.  

Know your workout limits

When exercising, you shouldn’t push yourself too hard but gradually increase your intensity. The Liipoo AbsolutSwat hydration biosensor can evaluate your overall fatigue and dehydration endurance. This will help you better know your workout limits. You can use it to challenge yourself while working out without overexerting yourself.  

Track your glucose, Na+, and K+ levels

Being tired after training can often be linked to imbalances in crucial nutrients like glucose (blood sugar), sodium (Na+), and potassium (K+). Liipoo can help you track their levels from moment to moment with accurate data. This allows you to optimize your energy levels and avoid post-workout fatigue.  

Fuel yourself after a workout

Nourishing yourself post-workout can help overcome after-exercise fatigue. You should eat a macronutrient-balanced meal within 2 hours after training. The best part is that you can use Liipoo to take the guesswork out of post-workout nutrition. Its personalized recommendations are based on your workout data to tell you what and when to eat and avoid excessive intake.

Work on your sleep routine

Getting enough sleep is critical and can improve your workout performance. It enhances muscle recovery and growth, improves energy levels, and optimizes cognitive function. If you have a smartwatch like Apple or Sunnto, you can use it to track your sleeping patterns. Moreover, you can connect it with the Liipoo AbsolutSweat app to monitor your hydration and sweat during exercises.

Conclusion

As seen above, various factors can cause feeling sleepy after working out. While it's a common experience, it can also be managed and minimized. Using the Liipoo hydration biosensor is the best approach to optimizing your workouts and recovery. It offers real-time hydration feedback and scientific pre-workout nutrition plans. This keeps you energized throughout your workouts and minimizes post-exercise fatigue.

So, get yourself the Liipoo hydration biosensor and take control of your fitness journey. This will ensure that every workout leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated, not sleepy.

FAQs

Is it normal to feel sleepy after working out?

Yes, it is perfectly normal to feel sleepy after working out. Exercise can deplete your body’s energy stores, leading to temporary fatigue and potential drowsiness. However, this feeling should subside after you rest and refuel.

Is it good to sleep after exercising?

Yes, sleeping after exercising can be beneficial. Sleep enhances muscle recovery and growth hormone release. This is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissues stressed during exercise.

Is working out when tired a good idea?

It depends on the level of tiredness. If you're feeling mildly fatigued, light exercise might help boost your energy levels. However, if you're feeling excessively exhausted after workout or experiencing any pain, it's better to rest and allow your body to recover.

Do you burn fat when you sleep after working out?

Yes, your body can continue to burn calories as you sleep after a workout. Exercise boosts your body's metabolism, which remains elevated for some time, even after training. This increased metabolic rate helps burn fat during a post-workout nap.

Is it okay to feel drowsiness after exercising without eating?

No. Feeling drowsy after exercising without eating likely indicates low blood sugar levels due to depleted glycogen stores. You should always refuel your body with a balanced meal containing carbohydrates and protein after your workout. This will replenish energy and support muscle recovery. It can also help avoid feeling sleepy after working out.

Can too much exercise cause tiredness?

Yes, overtraining can lead to feeling exhausted afterward. This is because you constantly push your body beyond its limits and do not have adequate rest and recovery. You may experience persistent tiredness, decreased performance, and an increased risk of injury. It's essential to listen to your body and prioritize rest when needed.