Your muscular, skeletal, and cardiovascular health all benefit from exercise. More than just the muscles benefit from physical activity, whether it’s running or swimming.
It turns out that you need it for sleep as well. It has a number of strong sleep-inducing properties. Although exercise will not fix all of your sleep issues, it will help you to deepen and lengthen your sleep cycle so that you can get a good seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
Fatigue helps the body prepare for sleep.
Exercise makes you sleepy and ready to sleep by increasing exhaustion. It also lengthens the time the body spends in slow waves of sleep. Slow wave sleep is characterized by the release of human growth hormone, which triggers muscle repair. The same hormone stimulates the immune system and burns fat. The longer you stay in these stages, the more time your body has to perform these necessary functions.
According to a 2010 report, a regular workout regimen will effectively alter sleep habits. The participants in this study were older, sedentary adults who were suffering from insomnia. Over the course of 16 weeks, they exercised on a daily basis while learning about healthy sleeping habits.
Daily exercise alleviated insomnia symptoms, improved moods, and increased energy levels. Person fitness plans were also found to be less effective than organized exercise activities such as classes or exercise groups.
Sleep Better When You Feel Good
Endorphins are also released when you exercise. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that allow the brain to communicate with other parts of the body. They have an effect on your pain perception, euphoria, appetite, and immune response. Exercising is one of several factors that cause endorphins to be released.
Endorphins, for example, are responsible for the runner’s high. The high will help you sleep better by making you feel more happy and satisfied. Exercise is a great way to de-stress. As a result, daily exercise is an important component of overcoming anxiety and depression. Exercise can also serve as a stress reliever, boost morale, and provide an opportunity to get out of the house and socialize.
How to Improve Sleep-Improving Habits
You won’t be knocked out by exercise alone the moment your head hits the pillow. To sustain a complete sleep cycle, you’ll also need healthy sleeping habits.
- Make Your Mattress Work for You: Your mattress should be able to accommodate your weight and sleeping position. Any medical problems or pressure points should be relieved and supported. Find a mattress that relieves pressure in these areas whether you have shoulder or low back pain. If you sleep on your stomach, look for a sturdy mattress that keeps your hips from falling into the mattress and putting extra strain on your lower back.
- Sunlight suppresses sleep hormones, so spend a lot of time outside. A sufficient amount of time in the morning sun controls your sleep cycle, preparing your sleep hormones for release at night.
- Bedtime Routines and Patterns: The body is designed to obey routines and patterns. A consistent bedtime helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer by training your body to release sleep hormones at the same time every day.
Exercise has many health benefits, including improved sleep. Make it a habit, and you’ll be on your way to creating a lifestyle that will benefit your health for years to come.
