The Real Relationship Between Exercise and Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for our overall health, we’re all pretty much aware of that by now. We know that to achieve optimal health, we should be averaging anywhere between six to eight hours of sleep per night. It helps our physical, mental, and emotional health by maintaining necessary rest patterns in the body.

What a lot of people may not realize, however, is the key link between consistent exercise and sleep. Sure, it might seem obvious that going for a run that leaves you panting for breath is going to help you get some rest. But as plenty of runners will tell you: there’s a big difference between tired and sleepy. We often make the mistake of thinking that exercise only makes us exhausted, but it actually contributes to a restful night’s sleep in a significant way.

There are many ways to encourage sleepiness if you find that you’re struggling to drift off at night, many of which can be found online – thesleepdistrict.com provides a variety of helpful tips, for instance. But if you want to know how exercise specifically can help you nod off, then you’re on the right blog post.

Physical Activity Encourages Deep Sleep

There are many phases of sleep that we experience throughout the night. While we’re just laying there, completely unaware of it all, the brain is performing a neurological firework show. The most important of these phases is called deep sleep, or REM sleep. This is where our body does the most of its restoration, so it’s important to get the most out of it.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, physical activity increases the length of deep sleep that an individual can achieve. It’s not simply a case of tiring yourself out so you can get to sleep at night; exercise can encourage positive behaviors in your brain.

Reduced Anxiety and Stress

One of the common reasons people find that they cannot get to sleep, or can’t sustain worthwhile sleep without waking up every two hours, is stressful thoughts. It’s easy to understand: life is busy, and there’s always a thousand things to think about. If you can’t shut your mind down in the evening, it’s extremely difficult to nod off.

Physical exercise has been proven to reduce stress levels, however, and has even been shown to lessen the symptoms of anxiety. It doesn’t have to be rigorous either. More relaxing exercises, such as yoga, actively soothe the parasympathetic nervous system. If stress contributes to your sleepless nights, consider increasing your daily activity levels.

Listen to Your Own Body

In the past, it was believed that exercising right before bed was the very worst thing you could do for a good night’s sleep. The logic seemed correct: if you exercised vigorously before bedtime then you would be exhausted enough to get to sleep. Unfortunately, energy creates energy, which means overstimulating the body at the worst time.

The key is to know that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to exercise and sleep. It’s important to pay attention to the needs of your own body. If you find exercising at nighttime helps you drift off much more quickly, then go for it! Likewise, if you find you feel overly stimulated and even more awake, consider working out at the start of the day instead. Researched advice is great for informing your decision, but it shouldn’t make your decision for you. That comes down to personal preference.

Exercise and sleep are both beneficial cornerstones for overall health. Finding the right balance for you is the key to success, and don’t be afraid to try new things outside of your comfort zone, as they may yield the best results!