Exercise and sleep might sound like complete opposites, but they have more connections than you think.
Doing some physical activity during the daytime could make a big difference to your sleeping quality at night, particularly if you've been having trouble sleeping.
When to Exercise
Exercising too close to bedtime can actually stop you getting sleep.
- Try to make sure you've finished exercising at least three hours before you head to bed to give your body a chance to cool down.1
- Don't forget to warm up before you exercise and cool down afterwards, so you're not left with aching muscles the next day.
- Working shifts can affect many aspects of your life, and can wreak havoc with your sleep.
- Exercising at least twice a week makes it more efficient to manage your sleep patterns.
- Exercising can also reduce the side effects of working at “unusual” hours such as anxiety, depression and poor eating habits.2
What Kind of Exercise?
Any type of exercise will do, pick what you enjoy!
- Light, moderate or vigorous activities have all been shown to have a positive effect on sleep.
- Research has also found that the longer you exercise, the longer you'll be able to sleep.1
- Try and go for at least an hour or so of exercise. If you can, doing this 5 days a week will help keep you healthy and reduce your chances of developing a number of diseases.3
- Moderate exercise leaves you slightly out of breath, but still able to carry on a conversation. i.e. brisk walking, dancing or leisurely roller-blading, swimming, cycling or carrying heavy bags back from the store.
Exercise Benefits
- Helps to promote sleeping quality by reducing stress and anxiety, a common cause of sleep problems.
- Affects body temperature, as the body becomes more prepared for sleep.1
- Gives you more energy in the long-run
- Your memory and ability to learn things should also improve when you sleep better4
- Like excercise, having sufficient sleep will help you to control your weight.5
Sleep is an essential part of our lives, so try and get a good night's sleep every night to help you feel and perform your best. Make the time to try exercising, that will increase your chance of a good night sleep.
Sources
- Loprinzi PD & Cardinal BJ. Association between objectively-measured physical activity and sleep, NHANES 2005-2006. Mental Health and Physical Activity 2011; 4(2): 65-69.
- Atkinson G & Davenne D. Relationships between sleep, physical activity and human health. Physiology and Behavior 2007; 90(2-3): 229-235.
- At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health. Department of Health. 15th December 2011.
Yoo S et al. A deficit in the ability to form new human memories without sleep. Nature Neuroscience 2007; 10(3): 385-392. - Patel SR & Hu FB. Short sleep duration and weight gain: a systematic review. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2008; 16(3): 643-53.
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