Feeing tired? Having trouble sleeping? Exercise could be the answer.

Feeling tired? Having trouble sleeping? Wee you’re not alone. 

In Australia, a study found sleep difficulties, including issues falling asleep, issues staying asleep, lack of sleep, daytime fatigue and irritability, was found in 20-35% of people.[1]

This is a significant public health concern and insufficient sleep can have come severe consequences.[2]

Medically, people with insomnia have a higher risk of heart issues, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancer.[3]

It has also been associated with negative effects on mental health including depression and reduced quality of life.[4]

Practically, it can also have dire consequences and has been associated with car crashes, industrial disasters and occupational errors.[5]

The negative consequences of sleep problems are also far reaching and we have only recently begun to discover the scale in the problem.[6] Looking at the economic impact, it is estimated that the cost of sleep problems on the economy is $5.1 billion per year…yes BILLION! $270 million in health care costs, $540 million for medical care and $4.3 billion due to productivity losses and non-medical costs.[7] In the United States, the number is estimated to be as high as $166 BILLION per year.[8]

So what do we do about it?

Well the current solution seems to be sleeping tablets.

While these are a common treatment and can be effective, they have their own downsides including an association with depression, poor driving, infection and injuries due to falls in the elderly.[9] [10]

Well, as you probably guessed from the title of the article, exercise has been associated with improved sleep.[11] 

Recent trials have found exercise is associated with improved sleep quality, longer sleep times, more efficient sleep and a reduced time to fall asleep.[12]

And the benefits can be quick acting. In the short term, exercise was found to improve many elements of sleep including a reduced time to fall asleep and increased sleep times.[13]

Sleep was also found to be associated with improved mood and less daytime sleepiness.[14]

So exercise helps me sleep better? How much exercise?

Well the great thing about exercise is it is cheap and available to the majority of adults.[15] But how much exercise is recommended?

The National Sleep Foundation recommends about 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week which works out to be about 5 sessions of 30 minutes. If that is too much, they say that even 10 minutes of walking, riding or swimming can help improve sleep.[16] [17]

So, if you are feeling tired or having trouble sleeping, after checking with your health professional, perhaps try getting your sweat on. It may just help you get the sleep you need and crave.

[1] Hillman, D. R., & Lack, L. C. (2013). Public health implications of sleep loss: the community burden. Medical Journal of Australia, 199, S7-S10.

[2] Kredlow, M. A., Capozzoli, M. C., Hearon, B. A., Calkins, A. W., & Otto, M. W. (2015). The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal of behavioral medicine, 38(3), 427-449.

[3] Institute of Medicine (2006) cited in Kelley, G. A., & Kelley, K. S. (2017). Exercise and sleep: a systematic review of previous meta‐analyses. Journal of Evidence‐Based Medicine, 10(1), 26-36.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Hillman, D. R., & Lack, L. C. (2013).

[7] Ibid.

[8] University of Maryland cited in Kelley, G. A., & Kelley, K. S. (2017).

[9] Kripke, D. F. (2016). Mortality risk of hypnotics: strengths and limits of evidence. Drug Safety, 39(2), 93-107.

[10] Allain, H., Bentue-Ferrer, D., Polard, E., Akwa, Y., & Patat, A. (2005). Postural instability and consequent falls and hip fractures associated with use of hypnotics in the elderly. Drugs & aging, 22(9), 749-765. 

[11] Kelley, G. A., & Kelley, K. S. (2017).

[12] Kredlow, M. A., Capozzoli, M. C., Hearon, B. A., Calkins, A. W., & Otto, M. W. (2015).

[13] Ibid.

[14] https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20100917/exercise-helps-you-sleep#1

[15] Brady, T.J., Jernick, S.L., Hootman, J.M. & Sniezek, J.E. (2009) cited in Kelley, G. A., & Kelley, K. S. (2017).

[16] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-exercise-impacts-sleep-quality

[17] https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/study-physical-activity-impacts-overall-quality-sleep