The Effects of Exercise on Sleep Quality and Insomnia

We've all been there. We've had nights that we just can't fall asleep. We toss and turn because maybe our mind is running wild thinking about the stressors in our lives. For some this happens all the time and insomnia is a real thing. 30% of Americans and 25% of Canadians report night time insomnia symptoms.

We've all heard how important sleep is to overall health including both mental and physical health, but it is still something that we sweep under the rug and "live with" when it is bad. This is not a good thing. We need to put more emphasis on building health sleep hygiene as depression and anxiety levels increase amongst adults and children.

Sleep deprivation can lead to more serious mental and physical health issues including increased risk of depression, anxiety and heart disease. We've heard how important quality sleep is, but do we really know what the value of it is and what it does for our bodies?

Let me tell you! The average adult should get anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep. This is actual sleep time, not including the time you crawl into your bed, scroll through your phone or watch TV until you fall asleep. I'm talking time asleep in the various sleep phases including deep sleep, core sleep and REM Sleep. Each of these different cycles have a purpose for your brain and body. The deep sleep cycle also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS) is non REM sleep that has multiple functions including physical restoration to the body. This is where your body tissues are repaired, including bone and muscles and your immune system is strengthened. This is when growth hormone is released. Deep sleep also stores your memories and processes information taken in for the day. Have you ever wondered why after a night of drinking, your memory is garbage and you have brain fog about the day prior. Because alcohol disrupts your sleep, and these functions cannot be carrried out efficiently. In addition to these functions, slow-wave sleep also restores energy and regulates your hormones. So how much deep sleep should you get in a night. It varies based on age how much a person should get each night, but it should be somewhere between 15-25% of total sleep each night.

The next phase of sleep is REM sleep, which also holds critical functions to the brain and body and is necessary for optimal function. REM sleep is responsible for consolidating your memories and cognitive function. This is the stage that helps us organize and store information and is responsible for short term and long term memory function. REM also helps control emotional function including regulating stress and can improve emotional stability. Another key benefit of good REM sleep is it helps us with our creativity and problem solving skills. Have you ever wondered why babies sleep so much? It's not just because they are growing, but it is also for brain development. Our bodies need REM to help support neural connections and overall growth, even as we get older.

So as you can see, quality sleep is a must, not just an option. I will admit, I was just like everyone else when I was younger I would have erratic sleep where I would just "nap later". Now, in my 40's I can't get away with it like I used to. If I fall off my sleep schedule I am a zombie for days later.

Now that we know the importance of sleep, how can we improve it if we suffer from poor quality sleep or insomnia? Well there is this thing called exercise! I'm not just saying this because I am a personal trainer and I want everyone to exercise. I say this because multiple studies have been conducted on this topic and today I am going to talk about one specifically I found of interest that showed both objective and subjective positive impacts on sleep from aerobic and resistance training exercise.

A meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials showed that physical exercise showed objective and subjective improvements of those with sleep insomnia. They assessed various sleep parameters on 1233 adults ranging from 26-69 years including sleep duration, efficiency, and latency. Exercise interventions included aerobic exercise including cycling, running or walking 40-85% of max heart rate and strength training. Participants exercised 1-7 times per week anywhere from 10-75 minutes. Objective measurements were used including sleep studies or polysomnophraphy, which showed improved efficiency and improved wake after sleep onset (time awake during the night). Additionally subjectively participants reported improved sleep quality, sleep time, and latency.

So to summarize, if you live a sedentary lifestyle and struggle with sleep, incorporating exercise into your daily routine is not only going to help improve your sleep quality, but it is also going to work behind the scenes to potentially prevent potential serious health conditions. The thing that we need to remember is that how we treat our bodies and live our lives is all connected. If we don't take care of the one and only body we have in this lifetime we are setting ourselves up for maybe a not so great future. When we take care of our bodies, we are insuring ourselves for a long healthy and more enjoyable future!