The Best Workouts to Do When You're Too Tired to Work Out
Even though the only exercise you feel like doing is a microwave-to-couch roll, the right physical activity could give your energy levels a much-needed boost.
By Corrie Pikul
Photo: Tempura/E+/Getty Images
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Why you're tired: You've been sitting all day.
What to try: A short high-intensity interval workout (HIIT —for example, all-out cycling bouts for 30 seconds, followed by 4 minutes of rest, repeated 8 times).
Why it could help: Plenty of research has proved that even a single bout of moderate-intensity exercise can
boost energy more than
not exercising. In
one study, volunteers reported feeling more jazzed after their workout than after eating a candy bar. Here's what scientists think is going on: Exercise alters the levels of one or more energy-boosting neurotransmitters (like dopamine or serotonin) in the brain, explains Patrick O'Connor, PhD, a professor in kinesiology at the University of Georgia who has headed some key studies on exercise and fatigue. He adds that these types of short HIIT routines can increase the feeling of vitality without tiring us out the way longer workouts might.
Published 09/30/2014
