Do you toss and turn restlessly at night?
Getting up and moving around during the day can be crucial for a more restful night’s sleep.
“In the short term, exercise increases our drive to wake up a little. But in the long term, that is, over the course of the day, exercise also increases our drive to sleep,” explains Dr. Alicia Roth, a sleep psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
According to Roth, any type of physical activity can help combat insomnia.
Whether it’s cardio or strength training or simply walking the dog, it’s important to exercise your body regularly every day.
In fact, participants in a recent study who were constantly active were 55% more likely to be normal sleepers.
Roth, who was not involved in the study, stressed that the time of day you exercise doesn’t matter that much, but that you should avoid strenuous activity at least an hour before bedtime.
Although exercise can increase your need for sleep, you may still have difficulty getting a good night’s sleep due to broader sleep problems.
“Every sleep problem is unfortunately very complex. Sleep problems have many causes, so there is never one thing that will cure your sleep problems,” Roth said. “It’s probably a mix of things you change or a mix of new habits you develop.”
Roth added that if you have persistent sleep problems, it’s best to seek professional help.
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