Maybe a few months ago, you were hopping out of bed feeling ready to tackle the day. But now you’re grumpily rolling out of bed ten minutes before you sit down at your computer or head out for your morning commute. It’s only natural to go through phases where you’re feeling out of balance. But when productivity hits a lull, studies have shown there’s no better thing to do than get some exercise. Here’s why incorporating an after-work exercise routine can get you back to operating at full steam in your career, at home, and wherever else you spend your time!
After-Work Exercise Routines Help Reset Your Sleep Cycles
We all know one of the keys to increasing our productivity is a good night’s sleep. After all, there’s only so much that three cups of coffee can do to keep us going. Our brains need sleep to repair, process healing, and learn from the day’s activities.
Recent research into circadian rhythm cycles has shown the benefits of swapping the afternoon coffee run for a trail run instead.
By exercising in the afternoon, participants moved up their circadian rhythm cycles by kickstarting melatonin production earlier in the evening.
This means that establishing a regular after-work exercise routine can help you spend fewer hours tossing and turning and help you wake up rested and ready to tackle your day.
Exercise Routines Help Boost Memory, Learning, and Adaptation
While it’s great that exercise can help us sleep better, that doesn’t do a whole lot to improve productivity immediately. Most of us are looking for a quick fix to boost productivity right away.
But the research has proved that exercise does create immediate changes in our brain chemistry—improving our memory, learning, and adaptation.
Research has shown that exercise has a beneficial effect on executive functioning—a term used to describe some mental factors, including working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility.
This means hitting the gym on your lunch break can give you a much-needed boost to help you:
- Remember key project details in your afternoon meetings (working memory)
- deal with an angry customer without losing control (inhibitory control), and
- Keep your cool when you have to pivot a project (cognitive flexibility).
Kickstart Your After-Work Exercise Routine at Santa Barbara Athletic Club
If you’re looking to boost your productivity, head on over to Santa Barbara Athletic Club. With after-work fitness classes, and personal trainers available for consultations, you’re sure to find the support and encouragement you need to create a workout routine that fits within your busy schedule and gets you back to feeling happy and productive.