Lack of sleep is an epidemic taking America by storm. Research shows that seven out of ten adults do not receive the recommended seven hours of sleep each night, putting them at higher risk for obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure. While many turn to caffeinated products and sleeping pills, there are a few that hit the gym.
We’ve often heard physical activity helps us sleep better at night. Turns out, there is actually science to prove it.
Check out these three ways exercise improves your sleep:
Exercise Can Help You Fall Asleep Faster
If you struggle to fall and stay asleep each night, you might consider exercising.
One research study found that 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise helped individuals with chronic insomnia fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Other studies indicate the time of day you work out can impact your sleep. In one particular study, participants who hit the gym in the afternoon reported fewer disruptions throughout the night, but participants who exercised in the morning fell asleep faster. Whether you are an early-bird or late-night gym goer, your sleep will benefit from your sweat sesh either way.
The only warning from experts is to avoid working out too close to bedtime. The adrenaline released during the workout can make it difficult to wind down.
Exercise Can Help You Get More Deep Sleep
It’s been proven that physical activity results in longer periods of deep, slow-wave sleep. This type of sleep is where restoration, healing, and regeneration occur in the body.
Slow-wave sleep is especially important for athletes looking to gain lean muscle mass. Without proper sleep, all the time put in at the gym goes to waste because your body doesn’t have time to build and repair muscle tissue.
To better understand how your body moves through different stages of rest during the night, learn more about the stages of sleep and why each stage plays an important role in your overall sleep.
Exercise Can Reduce Stress
Stress is a common thief of our sleep. That’s concerning considering seven out of ten adults in the United States say they experience stress, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).
At night, cortisol levels, also known as the stress hormone, should naturally decrease. But when you’ve had a stressful day, cortisol levels can stay elevated. This has an adverse effect on your sleep quality.
However, exercise can help reverse these adverse effects. During physical activity, the brain produces endorphins, which are chemicals that act as natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins can improve your ability to sleep and help reduce stress.
Whether you have trouble sleeping at night or not, exercise is a great natural stress reliever.
Your Mattress Matters Too
As athletes, you should consider the mattress you are sleeping on to set yourself up for the best possible sleep each and every night. Believe it or not, your mattress can have a major impact on the quality of sleep you get and how you feel when you wake up.
We are disciplined about our diet and exercise, so we should be disciplined about our sleep habits too. Choosing a comfortable, supportive mattress for athletes can be an important part of creating a sleep environment that supports rest and recovery.
If you frequently experience restless nights that you believe are caused by your mattress, take a look at the support it’s providing, whether it puts pressure on your joints, and whether it helps keep your spine in alignment.
PerformaSleep engineers their mattress with athletes in mind. Pairing regular exercise with quality sleep can help you make the most of the work you put into your training and recovery.
Visit Mattress Advisor to see their review of the PerformaSleep mattress and learn more about how to find the best mattress for your needs!
