There have been so many times when I’ve left work only to drag myself to the gym. The result is usually the same – I leave feeling more energized and spend the rest of the evening productively. I fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow, waking up the next morning feeling well-rested. There are the obvious benefits of exercise – keeping fit and staying healthy, but I’ve never given enough credit to how working out affects my sleep.
Exercise does Affect Sleep
Regular exercise helps the body smoothly transition between each phase of sleep, keeping you from waking up during the night. Also, because exercise puts a certain amount of strain on the body, our brains then allow for more time in the deeper phases of sleep in order to repair itself.
Crazy Schedules
Everyone has a crazy schedule, making it difficult to set aside time to work out. Because of this, trial-and-error can help pinpoint what works best for you. The National Sleep Foundation reports that the best time to exercise is late afternoon, no less than 3 hours before bed. Working out too late can mess with your body temperature, as we need to be completely cooled down before attempting sleep.
Sleep specialist Dr. Michael Breus said on Web MD that you should take your personality into account as well. He says Type As (those who are anxious and more driven) benefit from exercising closer to bedtime because their bodies relax in response to exercise. More melancholy people should exercise in the morning to give them energy.
If you find it hard to fit in a whole workout session at once, consider bursts of activity for around 10 minutes each.
Photo by Adria
Types of Exercises for Sleep
Aerobic exercises are the most effective in helping with sleeplessness. Some examples are:
- Walking/Running
- Swimming
- Riding a bike
- Kickboxing
- Jumping rope
- Dancing
If you can, try integrating strength training and stretching into your routine. Yoga before bed is also a good way to relax and get your body ready for bed.
Some more little-known benefits of exercise and sleep:
- Exercise reduces stress by helping dissipate lactic acid that accumulates in the blood.
- Exercise eases muscle tension.
- Exercise increases the production of endorphins, which create a sense of well-being and increase the body’s resistance to pain.
- Exercise stimulates the release of epinephrine, a hormone that creates a sense of happiness and excitement.
- Exercise reduces the boredom, worry and tension.
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