How to Sleep Better By Exercising

Member

By georgelarson
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating:

(17 Ratings)

Sleep Better

Do you need to sleep better? The amount of physical activity you exert during the day is one of the key ingredients to a good night sleep. If you are experiencing insomnia you should look at your daily schedule to see if an exercise activity should be included. The more active you are during the day, the more likely you are to relax at night and sleep better.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Create an exercise routine.
Be as active as possible during the day.

Step 1

Sleep Better With Exercise

Exercise improves sleep by increasing your body temperature and then it lowering a few hours later. The drop in body temperature, which persists for two to four hours after exercise, makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

The exercise you choose should include the use of your legs for the exercising to help with your sleep. The fatigue produced by using your leg muscles acts as a tranquilizer. Aerobic exercises are the best to combat sleeplessness because they use the leg muscles and increase the amount of oxygen that reaches the blood. There are many aerobic exercises to choose from including jogging, swimming, riding a bicycle, jumping rope, riding a stationary bicycle, using a treadmill, running up and down your stairs, etc. Create an exercise routine for fifteen to twenty minutes a day, four days a week, and you to feel the benefits.
Step 2

Sleep Better By Exercising Long Before Bedtime

To combat insomnia, the best time to exercise is late afternoon or early evening. Avoid exercising in the late evening or just before going to bed. Since exercise is stimulating to the body it may take a while for your muscles and circulation system to calm down again after an exercise workout. You want to make sure you expend your physical energy long before it is time for your body to rest and ready itself for sleep.
Step 3

Alternative Exercise Activities To Promote Better Sleep

If your schedule only allows you to exercise in the evening a mild, non-aerobic exercise may help you unwind and help solve your insomnia. Take a leisurely walk breathing deeply or try some gentle dancing to pleasant music to lift your mood and relax your body. Yoga and stretching exercises are also good ways to wind down.

Yoga utilizes breathing techniques and postures to increase the blood circulation to the brain, promoting regular and restful sleeping patterns.

Tai Chi is an ancient art of breathing and movement. The movements involved are slow and precise, which is ideal if you are unable to participate in high aerobic exercises. Research has shown that Tai Chi will help decrease insomnia by promoting relaxation.
Step 4

Improve Sleep By Increasing Daily Activity.

If you do not have any time for an exercise regime try to sneak moments of activity into your daily schedule. Whenever possible take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car in the furthest parking spot and walk that extra distance into work or, when running errands, park your car around the corner and walk that extra block to the store. All of these extra activities will do wonders for your body and help you sleep better at night. Your overall goal is to have a healthy and well balanced life with the benefit of plenty of sleep.

Comments

kp3028 said

Flag This Comment

on 3/24/2009 It is interesting that when I exercise in the morning, I am energized all day; yet when I exercise at night, bedtime can't come soon enough. Then the sleep is terrific.