Whatever it is, you know you shouldn’t be up this late, especially because you have a workout planned in the morning. You hardly slept, after all, and even though you tell yourself you should exercise, your body is craving more shut-eye. Which do you choose? The extra rest or endorphin rush? More importantly, which should you choose? We asked clinical psychologist and sleep specialist Michael Breus, Ph.D., aka the Sleep Doctor, whether he recommends snoozing or sweating. Below, Breus breaks down what not getting enough sleep may mean for your workouts. As Breus puts it, “Sleep deprivation, sleep disturbance, and circadian rhythm disturbance all affect the overall restorative and recovery aspects of sleep.” Too many of our psychological and physical processes and abilities are impaired when we’re sleep-deprived—exercising won’t improve that, and this lack of proper functioning can put our bodies at risk. “If you are sleep-deprived,” Breus says, “you have the likelihood of several things:
