Researchers May Have Found a Cure for Insomnia—and It’s So Simple
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."
New research links regular exercise with a lower risk of insomnia.
This joins a growing body of evidence that supports working out for better sleep.
Doctors say when you work out can make a difference.
Working out regularly can help boost your heart health and lower your risk of a slew of diseases, including cancer. But, new research has found that regular exercise is associated with less insomnia and better sleep.
The study, which was published in BMJ Open, analyzed data from more than 4,300 people between the ages of 39 and 67 over a 10-year period. The researchers specifically looked at physical activity and matched that with questions on insomnia symptoms, how long people slept at night, and how sleepy they felt during the day.
The data showed that people who were persistently active (meaning, they exercised for at least an hour a week) were less likely to say that they had trouble falling asleep or that they got less than six hours of sleep a night compared to those who didn’t exercise regularly. The researchers also found that those who were persistently active were 55% more likely to sleep between six to nine hours.
“Physically active people have a lower risk of some insomnia symptoms and extreme sleep durations, both long and short,” the researchers concluded.
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can cause people to have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good quality sleep, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Insomnia can happen even if you have the time and the right environment to sleep well, and it can interfere with your daily activities.
Insomnia can be short-term and caused by stress or changes in your schedule or environment, or it can be chronic, where it lasts for three or more nights a week fo rmore than three months and can't be explained by another health problem, the NHLBI says.
But why might regular exercise help with sleep, and what’s the best way to go about this? Sleep experts explain.
Why is there a link between exercise and sleep?
This study isn’t the first to find a connection between exercise and sleep. However, it adds to the current literature by showing a connection between regular activity and good sleep.
One meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials published in 2021 found that people who were physically active were more likely to say that they had good sleep quality and minimal to no symptoms of insomnia. They were also more likely to report feeling awake during the daytime.
Another analysis of 34 studies found that 29 of them concluded that exercise helped improve how well people slept, as well as how long they were asleep for. And a 2023 systemic review of 23 studies found a link between regular physical activity and improved sleep quality. The researchers also discovered that physical activity showed “promise” in managing sleep disorders like insomnia.
The latest findings “are not surprising, but I like that this seems to be related more to moving your body vs. needing to join a gym,” says W. Christopher Winter, M.D., a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast.
Dr. Winter says that exercise can be such a powerful sleep aid that he usually jokes with patients that “if you’re not sleeping well, you need to exercise. And if you’re already exercising, you need to exercise more.”
There are a few reasons why exercise can be so effective for sleep, Dr. Winter says. One is that exercise can simply wear you out. “If you do a hard swimming workout, you are going to be tired when it’s time for bed,” he says. He also points out that professional baseball players he works with tend to sleep better once they start training for the season than they do during the off-season when they’re not exercising as much.
But being active can do even more for your sleep health than making you feel wiped, according to behavioral sleep medicine specialist Shelby Harris, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in White Plains, New York, and director of sleep health with Sleepopolis. “It helps you relax, sets your body's internal clock, reduces stress, and boosts your mood,” she says. It also, “makes your sleep deeper and more restful, helps you manage your weight, and keeps you healthier overall,” she adds.
How to use physical activity for sleep
Insomnia is a complicated condition, and it’s a little of a reach to say that incorporating more physical activity into your day will magically make all cases of insomnia go away. “Exercise can increase one’s drive to fall asleep,” Dr. Winter says. “But for complicated and difficult insomnia, exercise may or may not be the ticket.” Still, he says adding more movement into your day can definitely help.
At baseline, sleep medicine doctors recommend following the Activity Guidelines for Americans, which suggest trying for at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity exercise. It’s also recommended to get in two or more days a week of muscle-strengthening activities.
But, research has found that there are some nuances to keep in mind when you’re working out for better sleep. One analysis found that doing regular moderate-intensity physical activities is the most effective for sleep quality, while high-intensity physical activities—especially when you do them in the evening or close to bedtime—may actually cause trouble sleeping.
“If you can exercise at any time, doing it first thing in the morning is better for sleep,” Dr. Winter says. Working out at night may make you feel ramped up when you should be winding down, he points out, and exercising in the morning can signal to your body that it's time to wake up.
Evening workouts aren’t bad for everyone, though, Harris says—it ultimately depends on your body. “Consistency matters, so pick a time that fits into your schedule and stick with it,” she advises. “While some people feel relaxed after evening workouts, others find it harder to wind down for bed. Just pay attention to how your body responds and avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime for better sleep.”
But Dr. Winter says it’s best to work out whenever you can if mornings are tough for you. “Most people will be able to fall asleep at the end of a strenuous day that includes exercise,” he says.
You Might Also Like
