Do you know what is the best time to exercise without losing sleep ? This is a very relevant topic, considering that the habit is essential for maintaining your health and well-being.
However, it is important to make sure that the stimulation caused by activities does not interfere with your bedtime. The reason is that a lack of quality sleep can considerably affect your body’s physical and psychological recovery and prevent you from waking up with energy to face your daily tasks.
With this in mind, we have created this article to better explain the relationship between physical exercise and sleep , as well as the most appropriate times to do it. Read on!
What is the importance and benefits of physical exercise?
There is no doubt about the importance of physical activities for mental and physical health . This is because they release hormones that provide benefits against anxiety , depression, chronic insomnia, among other illnesses. In addition, they generate a feeling of pleasure and well-being due to the substances released into the body.
Therefore, those who practice physical exercises such as weight training, running, swimming, walking, Pilates and water aerobics can relax and rest. They also achieve deeper, better quality and less fragmented sleep , which contributes to:
- increase disposition;
- have more ability to concentrate ;
- improve performance in household and work tasks;
- gain a better quality of life .
Next, we will understand more in depth about these and other benefits of practicing physical exercises.
They generate a feeling of well-being
It actually triggers the production and release of endorphins into your bloodstream. This hormone is generated in the pituitary gland of the brain with its analgesic effect to the body and promotes mental and physical wellness during exercises. When someone trains frequently, they are normally relax more and enhance their mental status and self-confidence. They boost the mood
Serotonin, endorphins and dopamine will be released while exercising. They increase the mood energy and alertness and enhance the feeling that reduces repletion of being tired to a minimum.
Another important reason is that it improves distribution of oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which confers on them a benefit in term of disposition as well as energy to take up with daily activities, which is yet another reason behind the fact that an individual of whatever age would be perfect practicing physical exercise.
Reduce stress
Physical activity also helps to balance the levels of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These are normally released in large quantities in the body in situations of nervousness and stress, as a normal response of the body to deal with stressful situations.
But with individuals who experience chronic stress , the level of these hormones often continues to be high. It is here that exercise will play a role, where it can reduce the synthesis and secretion of these hormones thereby helping to reduce stress .
Boost the immune system
Exercise also enhances the immune system and enhances the body’s power to fight infections . This is because physical activities activate defense cells, have antioxidant action, stimulate the production of anti-inflammatory substances, among other advantages that enable the improvement in the functioning of the cells that make up the system.
Health enhancement
The proper aspect of physical exercise is preventing your body from a series of diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc. It also provides longer results, which enable healthiness in old age along with the disposition for the normal routine and reduced risk to develop diseases.
Another thing that should be noted is the integration of sportive activities with a balanced diet, rich in vegetables, greens and fruits . In fact, the organism has to recover after the effort put in.
Reduce nervousness and depression
Physical exercise contributes to increased production, release and sensitivity of neurotransmitters in the brain , such as norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. These are responsible for regulating sleep, mood, memory, heart rate, among other functions.
When these neurotransmitters are present in a body in lower concentrations, they trigger depression and anxiety . The reason that physical activities improve the volume of these substances in the body is that they keep one’s mental health well.
Most anxious or depressed individuals face problems with their sleep. Exercise can even be of help in this direction, as it enables a person to fall asleep faster and experience deeper and more restful sleep.
Improve the quality of sleep and relax the body
As we mentioned earlier, physical exercise also improves the quality of sleep. According to research by the National Sleep Foundation , an American non-profit organization, people who practice physical activity are almost twice as likely to sleep better than sedentary people.
Other research revealed a connection between sleep apnea and exercise . In processing the data, it was determined that active individuals have half the risk of developing symptoms of this disorder than those who do not exercise.
What is the best time to exercise?
There is no specific period or best time to exercise. However, morning and afternoon may be more suitable for those looking to improve the quality of their sleep through exercise. Among the benefits is an improvement in the body’s disposition, as there is a greater production of endorphins.
Another issue is that, in the morning and afternoon, body temperature is a little higher, which leads to an increase in muscle efficiency and performance in the exercise practiced .
Exercising at night tends to have the opposite effect. The body’s temperature drops at the end of the day, causing a feeling of tiredness and relaxation . However, if the body is heavily stimulated, the quality of sleep can be compromised.
Taking these factors into account, if this is the only time you have available to exercise, it is recommended to opt for lower intensity activities. Walking is a good choice.
Which activities compromise sleep the least?
Below, see which are the most recommended alternatives for specific conditions related to sleep:
- for those who suffer from insomnia — yoga, stretching and other activities that promote relaxation;
- for those with sleep apnea — aerobic exercises, such as walking, running and cycling;
- for those looking to improve the quality of their sleep and do not have specific disorders — weight training, swimming, pilates and other strength, aerobic and resistance exercises.
Have you figured out what the best time to exercise is? So, evaluate your routine and see how you can adapt it to carry out your activities without interfering with your sleep . By sleeping well , you will be able to wake up feeling more energetic and have a more productive day.