Lifestyle factors can significantly impact your quality of sleep, and exercise is no exception. The link between exercise and sleep, however, is not as simple as you may think.
Simply using more energy through exercise is not guaranteed to help you drift off. Only a careful balance of exercise throughout the day will help you to achieve a quality slumber.
Exercise duration
Daily exercise can help to use all of the energy you’ve stored from eating, making you tired enough to require sleep. It is widely believed that performing around half an hour to an hour of exercise a day is enough to help you to drift off in the evening. However, there’s a caveat: the intensity of exercise and the time at which it is performed are equally as important as the duration.
Before bed
Because exercise can cause a spike in adrenaline and can keep your body in an alert state, you should end any strenuous exercise around five to six hours before going to bed in order to aid sleep. Similarly, waking up early to go to the gym could be depriving you of vital sleeping hours. So find a time that suits you, that you’re likely to stick to, but bear in mind the effects your choices may have on your sleep.
Exercise intensity
While not conclusive, some studies into the effect of exercise on those who suffer from chronic insomnia have shown that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise like walking or swimming can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the length of sleep, compared to no exercise. Meanwhile, vigorous aerobic exercise such as running or lifting weights had no effect. So if sleep is your ultimate goal, consider incorporating some moderate-intensity exercise, as well as any additional higher intensity fitness into your day.
There are other factors, of course, that come into play when aiming for a good night’s rest. You may already be aware of some or all of the following tips, but they are worth repeating:
● Avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol – These are all stimulants which increase your blood pressure and heart rate, keeping you awake.
● Control your room temperature – Extreme temperatures can disrupt sleep or prevent you from falling asleep in the first place, so try to maintain a comfortable temperature in the bedroom either by opening a window, using air conditioning or adapting the thermostat/heaters in your room.
● Put down your phone – And your laptop or tablet. These devices emit blue light, which can be disruptive to sleep. Put them down at least an hour before bed and maybe pick up a book instead.
