Millions of individuals have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep each night. Insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleeps disorders are common problems that affect many people. SleepWellAid.com is a website dedicated to providing resources on sleep disorders and sleep problems as well as information on top natural sleep aid products.
Exercise to Improve Your Sleep
Studies generally suggests that exercising helps those with insomnia sleep better. One of the most recent studies was conducted by Giselle S. Passos of the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The study contained 36 patients who suffered from primary chronic insomnia. It found that moderate aerobic exercises had a beneficial impact.
Some of the more popular moderate to light aerobic exercises includes jogging, swimming, bike riding, jump roping, walking, running, dancing, and treadmills. By performing one of these activities as little as as 20 minutes a day and just once every other day, it can have a significant benefits towards your sleep.
Exercising outdoors rather then indoors may also yield additional benefits. The increased exposure to sun light can aid sleep by acting as a natural anti-depressant.
Some of the possible reasons why exercising helps individuals sleep better include:
Producing a drastic change in body temperature. When you exercise, there is a significant increase in your body's temperature. After a few hours, the body temperature drops back down. This change in temperature can make it easier for to fall asleep and stay asleep.
An increase in adrenaline. When you exercise adrenaline is increased which increases the heart rate and metabolism. This naturally fatigues the body making it easier to fall asleep.
Vigorous use of the legs muscles. When the leg muscles are used vigorously, it acts as a natural tranquilizer, making it much easier to fall sleep.
Muscle tissues are worn. When you exercise, muscle tissues are broken down and require rest to repair. This causes you to be able to fall asleep faster.
Exercising helps reduce stress and anxiety. When exercising, the endocrine system is activated which normalizes stress hormone functions. Exercising also helps reduce anxiety, making it easier to sleep at night.
It is important though to not exercise within 3 hours of going to bed. The increased metabolic rate and increased temperature can actually make it harder to sleep. In the morning is generally the one of the best times to exercise in order to help improve your sleep.
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