How exercise can help us sleep better
Exercise helps us lose weight, keeps us healthy, and helps lower the risk of a lot of diseases. As a general rule, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. But what is the relationship between exercise and sleep, and is sleeping after exercising a good thing?
Is it harmful to exercise before sleep?
It has been a highly debated topic for years now, and there is still no definite answer to whether exercise before sleep is harmful or not. The logic of sleep hygiene would suggest that intensive exercise within three hours of your bedtime would negatively impact your quality of sleep because it can increase your body’s heart rate, body temperature and adrenaline levels. But it has been also said that exercising before bed may not actually produce any negative effects. So which is it?
One report found that for people who exercised after 8 pm, the majority of them would fall asleep quickly and have a good overall sleep, waking up feeling well-rested. Other studies have also shown very similar results. This study revealed that those who exercised in the evening reported an increase in slow-wave sleep. Slow-wave sleep is also referred to as ‘deep sleep’, and it is the third stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep, which is the stage of sleep when your body is in its most restful state.
Despite the conflicting advice, you should always base your exercise times and intensity on what best suits your sleep schedule. Certain exercises may be more beneficial for sleep than others, including yoga, light stretching, and breathing exercises.
How exercise can affect your sleep
Does exercising at night help you sleep? While sleeping after exercise may not be for everyone, a large number of people have found it to be very beneficial for them and their quality of sleep. Making time to exercise before sleep can:
Improve sleep quality
Sleeping after exercising can help contribute to a more restful and sound sleep. Physical activity increases the amount of time you spend in deep sleep that night. Increased deep sleep can also help boost your immune function, as well as support your cardiac health.
Increase the amount you sleep
Not only does it improve the quality of your sleep, but exercising can also help you increase the duration of your sleep. When you’re performing physical activities, you’re expending energy, and that helps you feel more tired and ready for rest at the end of the day.
Reduce stress and relieve anxiety
Stress is one of the most common causes of sleep problems. Stress and anxiety can cause you to have trouble falling asleep, and sleeping restlessly through the night after you finally do fall asleep. Exercise is a vital aspect of maintaining good mental health, so being physically active before sleep can improve both your mental and physical health.
So what time should I be exercising before sleep?
Aerobic exercise releases endorphins to the body. These chemicals that are released into our body can cause a high level of activity to take place in the brain, which could keep some people awake. However, exercising within an hour or two of your bedtime is usually ok. Leaving at least an hour between exercise and bedtime gives your body time to level out the endorphins, and your brain time to wind down before bed. Exercising also raises your core body temperature, so allowing somewhere between 30 to 90 minutes will give your body time to drop back to its regular temperature.
How much should I be exercising before sleep?
So how much exercise should you be doing before you sleep? And how long will it take to see the benefits? Well, people who engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise may see an improvement in the quality of their sleep that same night.
Participating in at least 30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise is going to be great for your long-term health. Having a consistent routine involving exercise is going to improve your physical, mental and sleep health in both the short- and long-term.
Exercises to help you sleep better
Stretching
If you struggle to fall asleep, stretching is a great exercise to do before bed that could help with how long it takes you to sleep, and could also improve the quality of sleep. Stretching can also improve blood flow and relieve muscle tension, two things that help with muscle recovery and sleep quality. The more you can get your body to relax before sleep, the more effective your sleep will be.
Cardio
High-intensity cardio like running, soccer or basketball used to be discouraged before bed because of the amount of endorphins that are released during these types of activities. But as long as you allow two hours before bed, it’s more than fine to participate in your favourite high-intensity workout.
Lower intensity cardio activities like walking are a good option if you don’t want to wait two hours before bed because your heart rate won’t be as high and your core temperature won’t be as elevated as if you were running.
Breathing
Breathing exercises are low-intensity but can be helpful in reducing stress and anxiety. Breathing exercises are a great activity to do before bed because they help you to relax and start to wind down for the night. Switching off your screens and taking some time to breathe before bed can be very helpful in improving your overall quality of sleep.
Key takeaways
Does exercising at night help you sleep? It can, as long as you allow enough time for your endorphin levels to mellow out before you sleep, usually leave at least an hour.
Exercise and sleep d have a good relationship, both contribute heavily to your overall physical and mental health.
Some exercises to help you sleep could be stretching, cardio, and breathing exercises.
Sleeping after exercising can be great for your sleep health, and can help you fall asleep quicker than you usually would.
IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING PERSISTENT DISRUPTIONS TO YOUR SLEEP, CONSULT WITH A PHARMACIST OR TRUSTED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.