How Exercise Can Have A Positive Effect On Your Sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but for many people, it can be difficult to achieve. The good news is that research has shown that regular exercise can help improve sleep quality and duration. This article will explore how exercise can positively impact your sleep and discuss various ways in which it can contribute to better overall sleep health.

Create a more structured sleep schedule

Regular exercise can help you establish a more structured sleep schedule by regulating your body’s circadian rhythm. When we engage in physical activity, our body temperature rises and remains elevated for some time before gradually decreasing. This increase and subsequent decrease in body temperature signals the body to release melatonin, the hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. By exercising regularly, we can help regulate the timing and duration of melatonin release, leading to a more structured sleep schedule.

As well as this, exercising at a consistent time each day can help to reinforce the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up at the same time each day. Creating a consistent exercise routine can also help to establish a regular sleep routine and improve your general sleep health as well as providing structure and predictability to your day.

Fall asleep faster

Regular physical activity has been found to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep. This is because exercise can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, all of which can contribute to insomnia. Moreover, exercise increases the production of endorphins, which are natural painkillers that promote feelings of relaxation and calmness.

The rise and fall in body temperature that occurs during exercise and recovery can also help promote sleepiness. Many bed store specialists offer mattresses that help to regulate body temperature which will allow you to have a more restful sleep after exercise. It’s important to note that exercising too close to bedtime can have the opposite effect, as the body may still be stimulated and energised from physical activity.

Benefit from sunlight exposure

Sunlight exposure can have a positive effect on our sleep by regulating our circadian rhythm. Our body’s internal clock is naturally synchronised with the 24-hour cycle of day and night, and exposure to sunlight plays a crucial role in this synchronisation.

During the day, this can help suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep, making us feel more awake and alert during the day. This, in turn, can help us feel more tired and ready for sleep at night. As well as this, sunlight exposure can help promote the production of vitamin D, which plays a vital role in maintaining healthy sleep patterns.

Sleep more deeply

Regular exercise can have a positive impact on both the duration and quality of sleep. Physical activity can promote deeper and more restorative sleep by increasing the amount of time spent in slow-wave sleep, which allows the body to repair and regenerate tissues, strengthen the immune system, and consolidate memories.

Depending on the amount of exercise, the body may require longer periods of sleep to recover, leading to a more extended sleep duration. However, adjusting your bedtime schedule or taking a nap after exercising can help ensure that exercise does not interfere with your daily routine.

Reduce the effects of sleeping disorders

Exercise has been found to be an effective strategy for reducing the incidence of sleep disorders. Regular physical activity can help to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, or internal clock, which plays a crucial role in determining when we feel sleepy and when we feel awake. Moreover, exercise can reduce the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can interfere with sleep by making it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

Exercise can also alleviate symptoms associated with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, and insomnia. For example, moderate aerobic exercise has been shown to improve sleep quality and reduce symptoms in people with insomnia.