How exercise affects sleep

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

We all know the common truth: it is good to go in for sports, but not to go in is bad. But not everyone knows that exercise can solve many sleep problems. Which ones, we will tell in this article.

We all know that regular physical activity is good for our health. But did you know that exercising can improve the quality and duration of our sleep? Children and adults feel tired in the evening after a day of intense physical activity, and as a result, they fall asleep faster and sleep longer.

An increase in the duration of sleep will allow you to recuperate, and after that you will be more successful in not only physical, but also mental work.

The relationship between physical activity and sleep

The sleep of two groups of people was analyzed using the activity tracker. The first group included people who were actively engaged in physical exercises during the day, and the second group included people who did not perform exercises.

Results

• Go to bed early. People who actively exercised throughout the day felt more tired and fell asleep an average of 36 minutes earlier (23:40 vs 00:16).
• Increased sleep duration. Those who actively exercise slept an average of 14 minutes longer (6 hours 48 minutes vs 7 hours 2 minutes).
• The number of awakenings in the middle of the night decreased. In addition to the fact that physical activity increases the duration of sleep, it also allows people to sleep more soundly.

How to maximize the benefits of exercise

A regular exercise schedule is essential. Jogging or doing any other sport for 30 minutes three times a week will have a more beneficial effect on your sleep quality than doing one and a half hours once a week.

Not all exercises are created equal. For example, endurance training, which may include running, walking, swimming, or cycling, improves sleep. But, of course, you need to do it regularly and with moderate intensity.

Do not forget about the training time. Morning and afternoon are preferred over evening. If you love extreme sports or compete with someone, then you are most likely provided with an adrenaline rush, and after that it will be much more difficult to fall asleep.

As we can see, exercise has a beneficial effect on our sleep, but it is worth remembering that lack of sleep can negate all our efforts. Lack of sleep leads to a lack of motivation to exercise. And even if - despite fatigue and sleepiness - you still force yourself to work out, you are unlikely to have a sensible and productive workout.