Exercise for better sleep
Here we are on the last day of National Sleep Awareness Month, with 18th March being this year’s World Sleep Day. It’s an annual event intended to be a celebration of all things sleep related and raise awareness by looking at sleep habits and ways to improve on the quality and quantity of the sleep that we get.
But why is sleep so important? There are many reasons why we should all be aiming for a good night’s sleep and these include:
Assists brain function, helping us to think more clearly and do better at work, when learning/studying and so on.
Helps to balance emotions, often resulting in getting along better with people.
Lowers your risk for disease and serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Helps to keep your weight under control.
Can reduce stress and improve your mood.
So how do we get more sleep? There are several ways to help improve your sleep:
Sticking to a sleep schedule.
Creating a restful environment in the room that you sleep in.
Limit daytime naps.
Pay attention to what you eat and drink before bedtime, don’t go to bed hungry or too full.
Manage your thoughts and try to avoid overstimulating yourself or worrying near to bedtime.
And last but most certainly NOT least, include physical exercise in your daily routine!
Studies have shown solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality. Researchers still don’t completely understand how physical activity improves sleep, but they do know that moderate aerobic exercise increases the amount of slow wave sleep that you get. Slow wave sleep refers to deep sleep, where the brain and body have a chance to rejuvenate. For some, the time of day that they exercise can effect how easily they fall asleep, so it’s best to see what works for you. Others are not affected at all by this, but in general it’s recommended to exercise no later than 1 to 2 hours before going to bed, giving endorphin levels time to wash out and “the brain time to wind down”.
The good news is that engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise may see a difference in sleep quality that same night! However, while many studies focus on aerobic activity and sleep, that most important thing is picking an exercise that you like and that you’ll stick with. It can be anything from strength training to an active yoga class - you’re looking to elevate your heart rate, helping to create the biological processes in the brain and body that contribute to better quality sleep. If you’re unsure of the the best/safest way to exercise - especially if you have a medical condition - seek advice from your GP or an experienced personal trainer/fitness professional.
Throughout my years as a PT I have lost count of the number of clients who have reported back improved sleep quality as an unexpected result of their training - which just goes to show how important regular exercise is, not just for sleep, but for overall good health and wellbeing.