Are you convinced you need to get your workouts done early in the day to get the benefits of exercises to help you sleep? Well, we might be about to blow your mind. Here are the best exercises for sleep, get ready for your bedtime workout.
While exercise has hundreds of well-documented health benefits, researchers are still investigating the exact impact a regular routine can have on your snoozing patterns.
Specialists everywhere are beginning to learn that exercise – particularly that of the moderate to intense variety, could help you to achieve a better quality of sleep.
Exercise has the power to help you drift off to sleep faster when you would otherwise spend hours staring at the ceiling. It could even mean that you start to overcome common disorders like sleep anxiety, and even sleep walking.
Perhaps the most exciting news we have to deliver today is that insomnia exercises don’t have to be relegated to first thing in a morning. You can workout before bed and still get a great quality of rest as a result.
Intrigued? Read on to find out more.
Bedtime workout: How workouts at night knock you out
It’s easy to see how regular exercise can help you sleep.
Have you ever spent a long day in the gym and challenged yourself to some exhausting physical activity, then you’ll remember how you got more sleepy after working out .
When you’re exhausted from working hard on your exercise routine, you’re far more likely to fall asleep quickly at night. Specialists use this same theory for sleep restriction therapy, suggesting that the more your body needs sleep, the easier it will be to achieve it.
However, there’s more to exercises for sleep than wearing yourself out every day. A systematic review in 2017 found that there’s mounting evidence to show that exercise is a powerful tool for people with insomnia.
The study suggests that regular exercise can help you gain more control over your routine, fall asleep faster when you go to bed, and stay asleep for longer too.
One of the biggest benefits of bedtime workouts, is that they help to counteract the effects of stress, anxiety and depression.
For years, specialists have recommended exercise as part of a full treatment plan for people with anxiety and stress issues. When you exercise, your body releases serotonin, which puts you in a mood that’s more conducive to relaxation and happiness.
At the same time, a mini workout before bed can also take your mind off the things that are making going to sleep a nightmare.
If you’re focused on your next yoga position, or you’re counting your sit-ups, you can’t also be worrying about what’s going to happen at work tomorrow.
Some studies have even found that participating in regular exercise training was a cheap and effective alternative to taking sleep-inducing drugs.
Get good sleep after working out
The most important route to getting good sleep is choosing the optimal bedtime workout.
For a long time, fitness experts and doctors alike advised their patients that morning was the best time to exercise for insomnia.
Part of the reason for this is that working out in the morning allows you to expose yourself to more natural light. Sunlight helps to re-set the circadian rhythm. However, doctors were also concerned that exercising too close to bedtime would increase the heart rate and lead to more restless sleep.
Now, we’re beginning to see that the right exercises before bed can actually help to slow the body down, prevent anxiety, and create the perfect environment for sleep.
Usually, the exercises for sleep to do before bed are the ones that will help you overcome feelings of stress and anxiety. If you are an eager runner or cardio-addict, then be all means have your run, but finish your session with a gentle workout. Read on to learn which one to choose.
Tension-relieving exercises combined with a regular routine that supports your sleep hygiene strategy could mean you fall asleep a lot faster each night. The following gentle exercises for sleep is a good way to get started.
Pilates
Similar to yoga, pilates, is excellent at encouraging better sleep. Pilates is all about using gentle movement to stretch out your body. You get rid of excess energy and calm your mind.
For instance, the roll-down cool down and warm-up move in pilates is great for shaking off additional stress in the evenings. Just start by standing with your feet apart and your hands by you sides.
Using the muscles in your stomach, bend forward and let your arms reach towards the floor. Try touching the ground with the tips of your fingers and hold the pose for a second or two before gradually raising up again.
Nighttime Yoga
Yoga is probably one of the most popular exercises to help you sleep. Sometimes yoga can be used to re-energize the body when you wake up each morning, but it can also get rid of tension that might be stopping you from feeling comfortable when you go to bed.
For instance, try the “legs against the wall pose.” This will open your body up in time for bed. Lie on your back and push your rear end as close to a wall as possible, so that you need to lift your legs and rest them against the wall. Hold that pose for a while, stretching your toes to the ceiling.
Yoga, pilates, or any form of stretching before bed are some of the best bedtime workouts. Especially these days, where most of us spend most of our day sitting.
It’s easy to be kept awake by problems with circulation or aches in your muscles caused by inactivity during the day. Stretching helps you to rediscover the comfort you need for a good night of rest.
Lifting weights before bed
One interesting option to consider for your insomnia exercises is a strength workout. Building muscle is a process that has been proven to improve the quality of sleep, and help you fall asleep faster.
Try doing exercises like shoulder presses, triceps dips, bicep curls and calf raises to make yourself stronger over time. Something as simple as a few sit-ups before bed could be a great way to start building your core strength.
What’s more, research shows that evening workouts could be the best time to build strength too. That’s because your body temperature climbs throughout the day, peaking later in the evening at around 6pm. As your temperature rises, your muscle strength and power will too.
Keep in mind however that strength workouts are the most effective in the evening for people who already prefer evening workouts.
Ultimately, if you push yourself to work out regularly during the evening with strength training exercises, your body will adapt to be stronger at the times of day when you typically train.
Relaxation exercises
Finally, one of the most obvious best exercises for sleep at night, is meditation, or anything that you can use to actively relax before sleep.
If you’re stressed out about something from the day that’s passed, or you’re anxious about the day ahead, then relaxation exercises can help to bring you back into the moment. So you’re less likely to stay awake and stare at the clock.
One easy strategy for mindful meditation involves lying in bed and tensing your toes fingers, and every other muscle you can think of in your body. You tighten each muscle one a time, then actively release the tension, paying attention to what it feels like to let that strain go.
If you’ve never tried meditation techniques before, or you’re new to active relaxation, you can consider downloading apps like Headspace to help guide you through the process. Meditation apps are growing increasingly popular for today’s always active people.
What’s the best exercise for insomnia?
So, what’s the best exercise for sleep out of all the options available today?
Well, like most sleep disorder treatment solutions, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. You should always do the exercise you find fun. Just finish the workout session off with any kind of low-impact exercise.
The last workout of the day shouldn’t get your heart racing too much. Ending your day like this consistently can make a positive difference to your sleep hygiene routine.
According to a study published by the Journal of Clinical Sleep medicine, commitment to regular exercise over a long-term period can help insomniacs to overcome their most pressing sleeping concerns and start sleeping more soundly.
There are other things you’ll need to think about when you’re overcoming insomnia. Consider how you can improve your sleep hygiene. Try to avoid being woken up by distractions during the night. Exercise before bed is a good way to start.
The best bedtime workout for sleep can very well be something you implement into your regular nightly schedule.
For instance, after dinner each night, you might do some brief strength exercise, followed by a hot bath, and then some meditation before sleep. A good routine helps to tell your brain that it’s time to drift off.
Making the most of exercises for sleep
If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your sleep quality, without relying on chemicals or medication, then an exercise routine could be the answer.
Insomnia is something countless people around the world are dealing with every day. The more you allow sleep deprivation to get the better of you, the more likely it is you’ll be left walking around like a zombie each day, struggling to get the most out of your life.
Fortunately, insomnia exercises in a good bedtime workout can make a difference. Investing time in exercises to fall asleep, whether it’s a strength routine, or a yoga session before bed, it can help significantly.
Contrary to popular belief, not all exercises are bad for you before you go to bed. It all depends on the kind of exercise you’re doing and how the workout session ends.
To learn more about the natural ways you can improve your sleeping patterns, check out some of the other articles here on siestio.com!
Siestio. Sleep Matters.
General advice disclaimer
This article contains general tips and advice. However, no diet or exercise program should be started without consulting your physician or other industry professional first. For more information read our full disclaimer here.
