No matter what type of exercise or frequency we choose, it has been proven that we feel better when we workout. Exercising is a great way to improve your sleep, but you must be patient to reap the benefits. Research indicates that it takes about 4 months of consistent exercise to see drastic improvements in sleep quality and duration.
Not all workouts are created equal, so their physiological effects on the body also differ. Here are some workout do’s and don’ts to keep in mind as you exercise your way to getting better sleep every night.
Finish your workout 6 hours before bedtime. Many us of have schedules that simply will not allow that to happen. Do your best to stick to morning work outs or don’t so intense cardio after 2 p.m., especially if you are new to exercising or just getting back into it. Exercise creates heat, which revs up the body’s core temperature. If your body isn’t used this process, it’s harder for it to cool back down, which is what can disrupt your sleep.
Aim for working out at least 3 times a week. After about three months of working out consistently, your body will get used to the heat-up and cool-down process. Exercising is the calorie-burning equivalent of taking a hot bath to have a better night’s sleep –it’s not the heat itself that will make you drowsy, but the rise and then falling of the body’s temperature that stimulates the production of melatonin, the body’s natural sleep aid.
Give your body time to recover between workouts. One of the main signs of over-training is insomnia. If you can’t stick to a.m workouts, try doing longer duration cardio sessions versus short, intense bouts. When you physically push and fatigue your body at a high level, like with HIIT (high-intensity interval training), you can activate the body’s sympathetic system, or its flight-or fight response, making it extremely difficult to wind down after working out. Slow, steady cardio triggers a more parasympathetic response which has less of a stimulating effect on your body’s core temperature.
Pay attention to your body and make adjustments where needed. Patience is key when curing insomnia with exercise, stick it out! Don’t most things hard things get worse before they get better anyway? You can do it!
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