Ready to be a super-steadfast sleeper? Then it's time to get physical.
In a study of people with insomnia, those who broke a sweat by adopting an upbeat exercise program saw a greater improvement in their sleep than the folks with less-active hobbies.
Something About Sweat
The
key to the better sleep results? Perspiration. The exercisers in the
study didn't just take a couple of strolls in the park. They trained for
several weeks until they were able to do four 30-minute workouts a week
at about 75 percent of their max heart rate. That means jogging, brisk
walking, or riding a stationary bike at a good clip -- anything that
gets the heart rate up and makes talking tough. The vigorous exercisers
also reported less daytime sleepiness and fewer symptoms of depression
as a result of their efforts. (Try doing this before bed to fall asleep faster.)
Feeling Good, Feeling Sleepy
The
other group in the study spent comparable amounts of time on
nonathletic activities, like going to museums or attending classes.
Enlightening, maybe . . . but not a boon to sleep, it turns out. Seems
exercise may be particularly useful for improving sleep because it
elevates mood. And that's a good thing, because depression and blue
moods are little-known sleep stealers
Sinus infection
- e-doolittle
on Nov. 23, 2010 at 4:28 PM