HYDERABAD: A city-based metabolic wellness startup’s analysis has found that late-evening intense workouts followed by late dinners may be affecting sleep and metabolic wellness among working professionals in the city.Incubated at T-Hub, the company analysed trends from about 1,600 families using its wellness tracker and found that 45% preferred late-evening workouts.These people showed higher resting heart rates, lower overnight heart-rate variability (HRV) and poorer sleep quality. “Sleep generally begins when the body starts winding down and heart rate falls from its daytime level, declining further during deeper stages of sleep. During our study, about 40% of the families showed difficulty falling asleep, with some remaining awake until midnight or 1 am despite going to bed around 9 pm or 10 pm. Many recorded bedtime heart rates in the 80 beats per minute (bpm) or higher,” said Sunil Maddikatla, founder and CEO of EYVA.Health experts said regular exercise remains beneficial, but intense workouts close to bedtime can disrupt sleep and recovery, particularly for people.“A heart rate remaining in the 80s at bedtime may indicate that the body has not fully begun to wind down. Intense workouts can disturb sleep quality and delay sleep onset. They may increase stress hormones, keep body temperature high and leave people tired the next day. Intense exercise can also trigger hunger; when it is followed by a heavy late-night meal, it may contribute to weight gain, indigestion and acidity,” said Dr Srikanth, a govt general physician at Narsinghi govt hospital.Dr Syed Imamuddin, cardiologist at Osmania General Hospital, said evening exercise is not harmful for everyone and its impact depends on a person’s health, sleep pattern and workout intensity. “If vigorous exercise keeps the heart rate high or delays sleep, it is better to complete it earlier and choose lighter activity at night,” he said. The study found that 64% of working professionals had their final meal after 10 pm.
