Do you have trouble going to sleep at night? You’re not the only one. According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, over 70% of American adults have insufficient sleep at least 1 night a month, while 11% say they have insufficient sleep every night. That is 231 million people being affected 1 night a month and 36 million being affected every night.
There are many factors that can contribute to this issue of insufficient sleep but poor health and stress are two big factors. Luckily, there is a solution that can help solve both of those factors and many more.
How Does Exercising Improve Sleep
Exercising improves sleep in multiple ways. When exercising your muscles begin to tear and break down. To repair the muscles, the body needs a sleep cycle to fully repair muscles.
During exercise the body’s temperature is raised outside of normal homeostasis temperatures. After exercise the body has to use energy to lower the body back to normal temperatures. This decrease of temperature can lead to drowsiness and eventual sleep.
Exercising will also expose you to sunlight. Sunlight plays a huge role in our sleep and wake patterns. Exposure and non-exposure to sunlight can throw off your sleep pattern by hours.
How Much and When Should I Exercise?
ACSM recommends that individuals should do moderate exercise at least 150 minutes each week. This breaks down into 30 minutes for 5 days a week or a little over 20 minutes a day for 7 days. Make sure to switch between cardio and strength days to avoid overtraining. Overtraining can lead to stress, which will lead to less sleep.
Try to plan to exercise earlier in the day. This will help your circadian rhythm by going outside earlier. Exercising closer to your target sleep time doesn’t allow your body enough time to recover and could cause you to stay up later.
