Did you set any resolutions for the New Year’s in 2019? Are you one of them hoping to be healthier in the coming 12 months?
If you’ve done that and you’re not alone 41% of those making goals at the start of the year decide to increase their fitness routine a top prioritization.
While getting in an exercise routine is an important but it’s important to consider the impact it has on the rest that you live in.
It’s not difficult to believe that putting in a lot of exercise is going to ensure that you’ll feel exhausted by the time you’re finished and be able to rest and sleep well However, this isn’t always the case. It’s true that exercise and sleep are interconnected, and have a complicated relationship in which one affects the other more than one way.
How does exercise affect your sleep?
It is important to understand that in the end exercising can help you sleep better, however, you might not notice the benefits instantly. A study from 2013 examined people who regularly exercised and those who didn’t over a long time. They found that at the end of two months of sleep, the quality did not improve. However, when examined again after 16, the exercise group was able to enjoy around 1.25 hours of extra sleep each night. The results suggest that exercise enhances sleep over the long run, but it may not immediately result in improvement.
Exercise is also a great way to increase your circadian rhythm which is also referred to as your body’s internal clock. It aids your brain in knowing when to go to sleep and when it is time to be awake, which means you can will be able to enjoy a more relaxed time in the early morning and late evening. Humans are creatures of habit. Therefore, when you adhere to an exercise routine at a particular time of day your body’s system will begin to develop a sleeping/waking routine around it. In addition, a high intensity of exercise can assist in calming and lifting your mood, while also tackling known insomnia-related disorders like stress, anxiety and depression.
However there are situations where exercise could cause sleep disruption particularly if you exercise just before bedtime. If you exercise late at late at night, you could increase the temperature of your body and increase the amount of adrenalin your body that can make you feel anxious when trying to fall asleep and make it more likely that you awake when you finally fall asleep.
This is a clear indication that a general “exercise more” approach may not be the best for rest. A more careful approach is needed to find the right balance.
How can I manage between exercise and sleep?
At this point we’ve established that exercise can be very beneficial for improving your sleep, but you need to take the right approach and be wary that the results probably won’t be immediate. So, what’s the best way to get the balance right?
If you can, exercise early.
It’s no secret that working out at night is disruptive to sleep, so take the time to schedule your workout or run in other times of the day. If you are able to fit your workout at the beginning the day you can boost your sleep by giving it a increase. A study conducted in 2011 conducted by Appalachian State University tested people working out at different times of the day. They found that early exercisers had an earlier night’s sleep than those who exercised in other times.
It can be difficult to squeeze in your workout in early on your schedule There are ways to help you achieve it. For example, if you’re worried that waking up too early can cause sleep disruption Why not try getting up early? This is a great idea when you are watching television or surfing the internet before bed, since you can make use of your time to do something productive during the day.
If you’re unable to schedule exercising at or at any other time other than before you go to bed, allow yourself at least an hour or so to unwind and relax before you go to bed.
Select the appropriate kind of exercise
We’ve discussed the ways that the time exercising can affect your sleep quality, but it’s important to know the kinds of exercises which can benefit your sleep most. Studies conducted by researchers from the National Institute on Aging discovered that aerobic activities, like running, walking or biking, provide the greatest benefits to lifestyle which included better quality sleep and less tiredness during the day. The study also showed that this kind of exercise made participants fall asleep 14% more quickly.
It’s important to note that aerobic workouts can be very effective in raising adrenalin levels and boosting your body temperature, which makes them more difficult to manage in the evening, especially if they are done prior to bedtime. Contrarily exercises like yoga, strength training, and stretching aren’t likely to have the same impact on your body and they are more appropriate for evening workouts.
Do not over or undersleep.
The relationship between sleep and exercise is a two-way road. While it’s crucial to do your exercise in a way that is appropriate to help sleep It’s equally important to recognize advantages that getting the required amount of sleep can help your training in addition to when you’re working out for the rest of your waking day.
In order to perform at your best throughout the day, it’s essential that you have 7 to 9 hours of rest. This is due to the fact that when you’re physically active and in a hurry, your body makes use of your time in a state of unconsciousness to repair tissues and muscles which are stressed to ensure they’re ready to perform the same task again.
Furthermore is that the National Sleep Foundation has reported that having the proper quantity of rest can act as a performance boost. For instance those who sleep for at least nine hours can do more intense exercises and improve their reaction time and reactions.
Make sure you’re not constantly sleeping less before going on to exercise, as not just will the performance be affected as a result, but this vicious pattern can harm your health. Sleeping too much can be an issue that can lead to unhealthy results and poor health and therefore, make sure that you’re not hitting the shut-off button every single time.
