If there was a prize for the most frustrating time of day, it might be those long hours you spend counting sheep, reading a dull book, lying with the lights turned off – waiting for sleep to overtake you.
Traditional views are that a good intense workout, arms flailing, legs pumping, heart beating, just before bedtime, ushers in sleep more quickly if you’re prone to lying awake.
Exercise does let you sleep sounder. But to help you fall asleep faster, the best time to exercise is not just before bedtime. And the type of exercise you should choose is not high-intensity training.
You see, when you train hard before bed, your heart works harder, pumping more blood with every beat. High-activity state of the body means sleep is less likely. Your body also warms up during exercise – whereas sleep is induced by a fall in temperature of a few degrees.
In short, the best exercise to let you fall asleep better is a 20-minute bout of cardio, done a few hours before bedtime. Since the metabolic rise in body temperature peaks by this time and starts to fall, you’ll catch the onset of sleep just right.
If you are unable to sleep because of pain or another discomfort, we may be able to help. Call us for an assessment.