Health x Wellness
Exercise to sleep better
Trouble sleeping? Find out how to have an enjoyable slumber tonight.
If you are suffering from insomnia, your body might be in need of a regular workout.
According to studies, people sleep easier if their body is active during the day. Research has also shown that active exercisers sleep an hour longer than those who are inactive.
Here are some suggestions to tackle your insomnia by incorporating exercises into your routine. Lack of sleep will not allow your body to achieve its fullest potential.
Exercise enhances Sleep
Exercise is a physical stressor to the body which helps the body to reduce insomnia symptoms such as anxiety and elevated arousal.
Known as the body-heating effects of exercise, the change of temperature in your body after workout allows you to sleep faster than usual. If your body temperature drops, you would feel more tired, eventually catching up on sleep for your body.
How to Exercise
Switch your exercise routine around to keep your body from getting used to it. Remember that you are not challenging your body once it adapts to the workout routine. Your body temperature may also not drop as much as it used to due to lesser effort being put in to achieve similar outcome. Therefore, it will be more difficult put yourself to sleep.
Try to incorporate different routines in your workout programme. You can also try to train your body and muscles to adapt to different sports routines. It is better to have several exercise variations to challenge yourself. You can even ask your friends to join along or simply search online for a variety of workout activities.
When to Exercise
For those who are suffering from insomnia, it is best to exercise in the late afternoon. By using most of our energy during the day, it’s only natural for your body to crave for some sleep later.
However, avoid exercising just before your bedtime. It is more difficult for your body temperature to decrease at night as the atmosphere is cooler, resulting in you being unable to sleep. Create a workout schedule to ensure that you have sufficient exercise for the week,.
Have at least 15 to 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily if you want to have a better sleep quality. Break it down throughout the day for those with hectic schedule. You also may go for short walks in the morning and exercise in the afternoon.
Mental Exercise
Insufficient mental exercise actually keeps your body from getting enough sleep. Keep your mental health active during the day as it promotes better sleep which allows your brain to recuperate overnight. Do things like reading a book, surf the internet or watch TV before you sleep.
Beating insomnia may not be easy, but there are ways to go about it. Start by having an active lifestyle today!
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
