Exercise that was completed two to four hours before bed did not disrupt sleep in the same way. In fact, Frimpong explained, “Our analysis showed that when exercise ended two hours before bedtime, there were sleep benefits, including the promotion of sleep onset and increased sleep duration.” Although, interestingly enough, those who exercised two to four hours before bed spent less time in the REM sleep stage—where most dreaming occurs—compared to a no-exercise control.
