Anyone here regularly swim at night (6pm or later)? If so, do you have any tips or strategies for making workouts productive even when it's late out? In general, does the time of day affect your energy level in the pool?
I usually don't swim nights, as I've been a die hard morning swimmer - with occasional afternoon swims when I can fit them in. Tragically, morning workouts at my pool are no longer available daily :violin:so I look to you all for pointers as I convert to being a bit of a "night swimmer" myself in order to plug in those daily sessions and work with the only time slots my pool has currently available!
From what I understand, intense workout right before bedtime can disrupt your sleep cycle, so I'm trying to dance over this challenge since I don't know if I'm doing myself a favor if workouts come at the price of much needed rest :bed:Maybe an easy or moderate pace in new night practice is necessary to adjust to the time change, and intensity and distance can be added a few weeks out from then?
I regularly practice with a masters group whose evening practice times fluctuate seasonally but never are never earlier than 8:30 and may go as late as 9:00. My workout intensity is probably greater in the evening than when I do morning workouts because of needing to leave before practice ends to get to work on time. I do find that if I practice until 9, I have to delay going to bed by about 20 minutes in order to fall asleep. However that is still less missed sleep than morning practice which forces me to get up 75 minutes early.
I regularly practice with a masters group whose evening practice times fluctuate seasonally but never are never earlier than 8:30 and may go as late as 9:00. My workout intensity is probably greater in the evening than when I do morning workouts because of needing to leave before practice ends to get to work on time. I do find that if I practice until 9, I have to delay going to bed by about 20 minutes in order to fall asleep. However that is still less missed sleep than morning practice which forces me to get up 75 minutes early.
