Does Exercise Help With Sleep

Who doesn’t need sleep alongside their exercise? Even Dracula needed some. It can be an 8 hours cruise or even 5 hours quicky… depends on each and everyone’s mechanism therefor subjective but surely can be said – One does need sleep.

It is also common knowledge that good sleep quality is essential and highly effected by training. Sleep is rather crucial for our rebuilt of body organs, bones, heart function, renew tissue, refresh nerve and immune system, hormonal balance and some more good stuff as such.

In modern times we are constantly sleep challenged in quality and quantity. Whether its awakening led light projected from our technological devices, daily stress (mortgage, cost of living, kids) depression, air pollution, noise pollution, THOUGHTS pollution it. Is. everywhere and it deprives us of getting proper sleep. 

We work a lot, party loads and sleep a little. Too little and at times too poorly. We keep saying “naaaa I’ll catch up with sleep over the weekend” but one must know there isn’t a thing as such – you lose you snooze… the alarm, over and over again because it seems almost impossible to get out of bed. What a drag.

So what CAN we do in this multifocal world of activity and distractions?  that’s where exercise kicks in…

The big question asked DOES exercise help with sleep? the answer is: yes! 

Exercise in general and in specifics reduce stress, anxiety, sugar levels, enable improved entrance of oxygen, tiring us physically and mentally, relaxes our racing mind, balances hormonal level (yes, good sleep literally cleans/clears one’s head) and helps with the secretion of melatonin (a badass sleep hormone) – and all of these beauties are needed for good solid sleep. On top of all, If you lay awake at night, struggling to get to sleep, then it may be time to start exercising…

Exercise helps with sleep as it improves sleep quality, increase sleep length when needed, Reduce stress, relieve anxiety and aids in beneficial hormone release, helps with Insomnia and its “friends” (sleep disorders), stimulates “melatonin” secretion (sleep hormone) and contributes to body temperature increase (which helps you get sleepy when drops and gradually fall asleep).

Exercise Makes You Sleep Better

When we exercise we keep an active routine and release daily stress, let go of our worries (even if for one hour) and allow our bodies to release adrenaline, serotonin, dopamine and all kinds of good natural chemicals that balance us into feeling better. 

When we exercise we also let energy out and by that get to bed more relaxed, happy and tired. All resulted in falling asleep faster, for longer and conducted a restful, more sound sleep. 

Exercise increases the time spent also in what is called deep sleep which is essential from the restorative body procedures so by doing so we support cardiac health, reduce more stress by balancing the nervous system and increase immune function. Win-win for all.

Another benefit is that exercise lowers sugar levels in your blood, which by that helps us with sleep as well.

After a good sleep, we wake up more refreshed and energized to a new day.

Exercise helps to Increase Sleep length when needed

On top of quality improver, exercise also contributes to the duration of our night sleep in terms of the more tired we get during our day the longer and better we sleep during our night. 

This results in a good solid cycle as feeds one another: tired=sleep-sleep=optimum function.

After a good sufficient sleep, we wake more refreshed, essential and complete more tasks during our day.

Aside from that, it is important to remember that sometimes we need longer sleep, such as in growth, tissue regeneration, recovery from illness or injury, etc. long deep sleep helps in that department too and exercise is what enables it.

Exercise is The BIG reducer of stress, anxiety and balance hormone secretion 

In modern living, we are subjected to a lot of stress. Stress, in general, is bad for us and in specifics most likely will cause sleep issues. It can be expressed either in difficulties in falling asleep or restless sleeping, and even multiple waking up during night sleep.

Exercise helps with reducing stress and balancing our nerves and hormonal system. That will help with the reduction of stress and anxiety and will allow us to fall asleep into better calmer sleep.

In that department specifically, any form of body and mind exercise will be recommended such as Yoga, Pilates or even good proper stretch to relax our tensed muscles and nerve system and later on the day fall asleep quicker and better. 

This exercise will also have an impact on lower cortisol levels, low blood sugar levels and the secretion of “good hormones” such as endorphins and melatonin. Hormonal party!

When we exercise our body manufactures hormones such as serotonin (nerve and heart function), dopamine (pleasure center in our brain) and adrenaline (awakens and gives a mental boost for a few hours).

Others like noradrenaline, cortisol, and endorphins, which work in a similar way to adrenaline and related while exercising as well.

Above all, it is only fair to be reminded that once we have hormonal balance, lower stress levels (through a more relaxed nervous system) we are simply happier and being as such our sleep will improve significantly. Live better, sleep better.

Exercise Helps with Insomnia and its “friends” (sleep disorders)

The correlation between exercise and improvement in sleep disorders is widely researched. However, there are already pieces of evidence that support the positive influence of exercise on sleep disorders. 

It only makes sense that if exercise helps to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and assist in better secretion of good natural chemicals in our body, Insomnia, which is commonly linked with elevated arousal, anxiety, and depression will also be positively affected form exercise. 

In addition, exercise affects the circadian rhythms (body clock), which helps reduce insomnia. Timing the body clock especially for people with insomnia is super important, and exercise helps by shifting it depending on the daily timing of the exercise.

Furthermore, as exercise improves our lungs and respiratory system’s function it can also help with breathing sleep disorders as it enables improved entrance of oxygen into our body and cells. 

Sleeping disorders should be advised with your doctor and should be checked in a sleep laboratory, however, exercise can only help and most likely will be determined in the near future as therapeutic in the sleep disorders department. 

Body temperature increase for sleepiness reaction when decreased 

There will be a lot of recommending for a hot shower before bedtime. It seems that the hot temperature will increase the core body temperature – a stimulating waking action. 

So why before bedtime? It seems that after about 60 minutes the core body temperature starts to decrease to a point that will make one sleepy by bedtime. The same with exercise as it triggers an increase in body temperature and the post-exercise drop in temperature may promote falling asleep. 

However, it is important to emphasize that those that vigorous aerobic exercise is their “cup of tea” will release endorphins (a hormone that keeps people awake) should preferably exercise at least a couple of hours before going to bed to wash it out of their system. 

Moderate aerobic exercise will increase the amount of slow-wave sleep one gets (which refers to phase 3 -deep sleep-dreaming), where the brain and body have a chance to rejuvenate, restart and balance body processes, tissues and muscle built. 

A prince called “melatonin”

If you lay awake at night, struggling to get some sleep, then it may be time to start exercising. It may have to do with a “royal” hormone called melatonin. 

Melatonin regulates the sleep-wake cycle and released by the pineal gland originally and regular exercising will enhance an improved sleep rhythm and instruct our body to produce this royal highness mister melatonin when it gets dark, which will improve our sleep quality and quantity. 

In conclusion

Sleep can be affected for worse by many of our daily habits, but adding some exercise into the equation can dramatically improve our sleep and as a result our wellbeing and happiness of living.

Keep improving and learning how you can better live your life, start with small steps and when you feel comfortable, try to add new healthy habits into your day, and breathhhhhhh 🙂