Exercise improves sleep. It may seem too simple but it might just be what we need to boost our overall health while also helping us improve our physical appearance and help us sleep. If you ever needed more examples of how exercise is important to our health, here’s two: Number 1, being physically active helps you sleep better. Number 2, getting enough sleep influences every aspect of your health. In this article, we will be discussing 5 reasons why exercise improves our sleep and life.
Fall Asleep Faster
According to the National Sleep Foundation, getting physical is key to ensuring a great sleep. It helps us fall asleep faster and allows us to stay asleep throughout the night. Northwestern University conducted a study that shows how aerobic exercise helps alleviate insomnia. Participants who exercised consistently improve their sleep quality and experienced less daytime sleepiness than those who did not.
It Alleviates Stress
Stress is one of the most common reasons we stay up late. We all have something to worry and overthink about that just makes sleep impossible. Particularly in current times where there seems to be more stress than ever (for more information on how COVID-19 is affecting sleep click here). It tends to put pressure on our shoulder, neck and back muscles which can lead to painful knots that also affect sleep. Exercise clears our minds and removes symptoms of stress.
Better Sleep Quality
Researchers found that exercise improves our overall sleep quality. Although a lot of things are still unknown about how sleep works, experts agree that every stage is necessary & important. They also agree that when one stage of sleep is deprived, our body will try to dedicate more to the next stage to balance it out. When we exercise, the amount of time spent on each stage changes and balances back to normal giving us better sleep.
More Sleep Time
Researchers also found that we get longer sleep when we exercise. It’s been proven by studies that people with a consistent exercise routine have increased sleep time. Even just walking for twenty minutes a day can significantly impact the way you sleep and the length of time you sleep in a positive way.
No More Daytime Sleepiness
It has been proven many times that exercising helps eliminate daytime sleepiness no matter what age & fitness level you are. Daytime sleepiness is linked to depression, obesity, diabetes, and sleep deprivation which exercise can alleviate so you feel much better, fresher and more awake during the day.
If you didn’t have a reason to exercise before, you do now. This doesn’t mean you have to hit the weights at the gym or train to run a marathon. Simply getting outside for a short walk, taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking instead of driving, swimming or dancing are all great ways to exercise!
