Using Exercise to Improve Sleep

The current recommended hours of sleep for an adult is seven to nine hours per night. The CDC reports an estimated 35% of Americans are not achieving the minimum seven hours. There are many documented health risks for not getting the minimum seven hours of sleep, including increased weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, difficulty focusing, increased pain, and impaired immune function.

Luckily, research suggests that a consistent exercise routine can help you reach your sleep goals! Exercise may improve help both duration and quality of sleep, allowing you to wake more restful and improve quality of life!

How much?

Generally, it is recommended to achieve at least 3x per week of 30-60 minutes of exercise to notice improvement in sleep.

What kind?

Many different types of exercise are shown to improve sleep. Choose what you enjoy doing and are more likely to accomplish! The American National Sleep Foundation recommends a combination of aerobic exercise and strengthening. They also mention that yoga or other exercises that you find relaxing can help manage stress and assist in falling asleep faster.

How intense?

Aim for the majority of your exercise activity to be moderate intensity, or 50-75% of your heart rate maximum. A simple way to calculate your heart rate maximum is 220- your age. A mix of low to moderate intensity can also be beneficial for improving sleep for those new to exercise or older adults.

When?

Any time in your schedule that works in your daily schedule. Try to avoid more vigorous exercise close to bedtime to avoid sleep disturbance.

There are many physical and mental health benefits to sleep. Having a consistent sleep routine and improved duration and quality of sleep is just one benefit from a consistent exercise routine.

If you have concerns about starting a new exercise routine or any injuries, reach out to your local Athletico clinic to schedule a free assessment and get back to moving safely!

*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

** This article is for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any chronic health conditions, experienced a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath with activity.

References:

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945724005021
• https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21679169.2019.1623314#d1e235
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7003368/
• https://aasm.org/seven-or-more-hours-of-sleep-per-night-a-health-necessity-for-adults/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4434546/
• https://aasm.org/cdc-publishes-new-estimates-of-u-s-adult-sleep-duration/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CAs%20a%20nation%20we%20are,sleep%20less%20than%207%20hours