Exercise and Sleep

We all know that exercise that can help you lose weight and get more energy, but what about helping you sleep?  Studies have shown that women who regularly exercise during the day sleep longer and better at night.  So, before you reach for the herbal sleeping pills why not try going for a run, taking a trip to the gym, or signing up for a Pilates class.

Many people have trouble sleeping because they are stressed.  The worst part about this is that sleep deprivation can increase your cortisol levels, which makes you feel even worse.  It can also make you irritable and less able to deal with stressful situations.  This is why most insomniacs have increased levels of stress hormones.  While exercise makes these hormones rise initially, after several hours the levels fall.  These hormones levels actually become lower than before you exercised and lower than they would be if you hadn’t worked out.  Regular exercise can end the vicious sleep-stress cycle once and for all.

Many insomniacs can’t clear their mind of problems when they lay down to bed.  The stresses of the day run through their minds, making relaxation difficult.  Exercise can help you escape the stressors around you and figure out solutions to your problems instead of mulling them over at night. 

Exercising also makes you need sleep more.  The more you work your muscles, the more they need to regenerate through rest.  While you may think this just going to make you more tired, it will probably actually help you have a deeper, more restful sleep.  Even if you can’t sleep for longer periods, you’ll have a better quality sleep.

An important part of using exercise to help you sleep better is timing. Since exercise produces chemicals in your brain that make you feel more awake and energized, it’s not a good idea to exercise before bedtime. It is generally recommended that you exercise more than four hours before you sleep.  If you find you’re not sleepy, start pushing your exercise earlier gradually till you find a good time.  For many, the best time to exercise is in the morning, and this will make you feel more energized all day long.

If you absolutely can’t exercise during the day, there are things you can do at night instead (or in addition) to help you get to sleep.  Studies have shown that exercises as simple as stretching can help improve insomnia symptoms.  You can try doing stretches or Pilates to bedtime to help you relax.  You can find books or join a class to learn specific positions and more to promote relaxation and sleep.

While exercise helps you sleep more, it has other wonderful benefits.  Exercise helps you lose weight, feel great, and have more energy during the day.  Before you try supplements, pills, or other crazy sleep solutions, try exercise.  It will help you sleep better as well as provide other benefits.