Good sleep has been proven to have great benefits for good physical performance in sports and workouts. But more recently, another question is arising; can physical activity affect our sleep? In previous articles, we spoke about how our workout timing can affect our sleep. This means that of course working out has an effect or many effects on our sleep quality. In this article, we will talk about how physical activity can affect our sleep.

Studies have shown that exercise helps individuals sleep faster and better, as per Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital. However, the debate is about what time of the day a person should work out. So far, the answer and the advice of professionals is to get in touch and listen to their bodies in order to understand which timing of the day is the most suitable for them.

How being physically active may help you sleep?

So far there is no clear understanding of how physical activity improves sleep quality. However, what is known is that a moderate aerobic exercise routine can higher the amount of slow-wave sleep that a person gets. The slow-wave sleep is known as deep sleep, a period during which the body and brain are rejuvenating. Exercising can also allow us to decompress the mind and stabilize the mood, which is an important process to naturally transition to sleep.

The timing of exercise may matter

It is a common thought that working out near bedtime is not a good idea as it will keep you up all night. This has some sense as aerobic exercise causes the body to produce endorphins which creates an activity in the brain and might keep the person awake. People who were not able to sleep after a late workout are recommended to end their training 1 or 2 hours before going to sleep. This gives enough time for the endorphins produced to wash out.

Physical activity also raises the body temperature which tells the body that it is now time to wake up. After an hour or 90 minutes, the body temperature will start to decrease which makes it easier for the body to sleep. This is one of the reasons why you would feel sleepy after 1 hour of your workout.

However, despite these biological signals, some people’s sleep might not be affected at all with the timing of their workout. For this reason, it is important to set the timing of the workout according to the body’s reactions and needs.

The amount of exercise needed for better sleep

A minimum of 30 minutes of activity per day is helpful to improve sleep quality. The brain will be affected immediately rather than wait for months so the sleep quality starts improving.

You can choose the type of activity that suits your body the most, just make sure that it is not less than moderate intensity in order to start seeing results.