For Better Zzz’s, Make Time to Exercise | Corewell Health

Many people think of exercise as a morning activity – a dawn jog around the neighborhood or 30 minutes at the gym before work.

But as experts learn more about America’s severe sleep and exercise deficits, they’re reconsidering the best time of day for people to be active.

Conventional wisdom suggested that working out right before bed interferes with sleep. But new search suggests that even intense evening workouts do not disrupt sleep in healthy young and middle-aged adults without sleep disorders.

“Sleep is good for exercise, and exercise is good for sleep,” said Kelly Waters, MDsleep medicine expert at Corewell Health.

But problems can start when people sacrifice for each other.

“The recommendation is that people need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. So if you get up at 4 a.m. to get on the treadmill, even if you stayed up until midnight, that’s not good,” she said. “You better sleep. Otherwise, you deprive yourself of focus and restoration for the rest of the day.

Often when people train for an event, like a marathon, they give up sleep to earn extra training hours.

This is a mistake, said Dr. Waters.

“We know athletes need more sleep,” she said. “At least seven and up to 10 hours a night to perform at their best and recover adequately.”

It is important to understand how sleep benefits our body.

“We need the deeper stages of sleep for that rest, recovery, and muscle repair,” she said.

During slow-wave sleep, “growth hormone is released, which is really restorative for the muscle. The more you exercise, the more deep sleep helps.

Find your best routine

For many, morning workouts feel good.

“The body has many of the right signals, in terms of heart rate and cortisol spikes,” Dr. Waters said. “And a lot of people say it refreshes their spirit.”

But it’s not for everyone. Some people just don’t like it, choosing to exercise later in the afternoon or early evening.

It works well for those who still want to have a few more hours to unwind before bedtime.

And for people who don’t usually have trouble sleeping, working out closer to bedtime can be great. Because heart rate, temperature, and blood pressure drop after a workout, it can even be conducive to sleep.

“That drop in temperature can kickstart your way to sleep,” Dr. Waters said.

She also recommends rethinking the exercise into smaller chunks.

“You don’t have to work out a full hour to experience the sleep benefits of exercise,” she said.

Current guidelines call for 150 minutes of exercise per week, or about 30 minutes per day, five days per week.

“Try walking for 20 minutes on your lunch break, stretching or doing a light routine or yoga in the evening,” Dr. Waters says.

There is a different set of calculations for those who sometimes have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. This is an occasional problem for about 30% from the United States. and a serious problem for about 10%.

In these cases, she says, “waking up just before bed may not be the best solution.”

Strategies for better sleep

Yoga, stretching, and breathing routines can be helpful.

“It depends on the intensity of a yoga routine and your practice,” Dr. Waters said. “If it’s your first time trying certain moves, there’s a lot of trial and error and it won’t be relaxing.”

Dr. Waters also said it can be helpful to explore simple breathing exercises.

Self-focused breathing, where you focus on inhaling and exhaling—often while seated in a chair—can help you settle in and pack away the day.

“It’s great when it’s time to turn off the lights, but your mind is still awake,” she said.

Another approach that works when you’re in bed: count your breaths.

“(It) leads to more rhythmic breathing,” she said. “It’s a bit like that last step before falling asleep. The first stage of sleep is called the hypnotic stage, and this kind of rhythmic counting of the breath is almost like self-hypnosis.

For those who have trouble falling or staying asleep but want to work out later? You can develop good sleep hygiene. It just takes patience and consistency.

In cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, “we learn to develop the habit with a fixed time and place for this bedtime routine,” Dr. Waters said.

For many, these routines may include writing in a journal, reading, or stretching. It can take two to three weeks of regular practice for a routine to become a habit and six to eight weeks to feel the full benefits.