Do you struggle to sleep?
As we age, both the quality and total uninterrupted hours of sleep we get each night decrease.
Fewer hours of deep sleep can leave you waking up already planning a nap. Even worse, it increases your risk for heart attack, stroke, and dementia.
Quality rest is key for functioning daily and restoring your mind and body.
The Sleep Foundation suggests sleep and exercise have a cause-and-effect relationship. Exercise will lead to better quality rest and gives you energy to exercise the next day.
How to Improve Sleep
A recent study found that exercise helps you to fall asleep faster and improves your quality of rest. (1) Physical activity also improves your mood while leaving you feeling relaxed, making it easier to fall asleep.
A moderate-intensity exercise program can increase the amount of quality rest you get each night.
Incorporate a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises. Studies show that engaging in regular resistance exercise improves all aspects of sleep, with the greatest benefit for quality. (2)
Keep in mind, that everyone’s body is different. You might find that exercising too late makes it difficult to fall asleep. Hormones are released during exercise, triggering the brain to stay awake. Physical activity also raises body temperature making it harder to fall asleep.
Exercising at least three hours before bedtime gives your body a chance to wind down and prepare for slumber.
According to a sleep survey, those reporting exercising three or more days a week fared better than those exercising less. (3) The latter group slept for fewer than six hours each night and had poor quality rest.
People who engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise tend to have a better quality of rest that same night. (4)
For optimal benefits, strive for 30 minutes of strength training three or more days a week. If you’re just starting out, aim for 15-20 minutes and gradually build up.
Resources
(1) https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep
(2) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1087079216301526?via%3Dihub
(3) https://www.sleepfoundation.org/physical-activity/exercise-and-sleep
(4) https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep
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