Sleep can be your best friend — or your biggest frustration. There’s no doubt that in order to maintain your health, you need seven to nine hours of peaceful and restorative sleep a night. When you and your circadian rhythm are perfectly in sync, there’s nothing more relaxing than drifting off to dreamland. If you struggle falling asleep or staying asleep, each night turns into a battle that is anything but relaxing.
If you’ve tried all the well-known tips like darkening your room, getting rid of electronics and turning on a fan or noise machine, researchers say there’s something else that can help. According to a recent study, teenagers who work out during the day tend to sleep better and longer, compared to those who don’t exercise at all.
Researchers from Pennsylvania State University used data from 417 U.S. teenagers for the study. Each participant wore accelerometers on their wrists and hips to measure sleep and physical activity for one week. The study showed that teenagers who exercised for an hour a day fell asleep 18 minutes earlier and slept 10 minutes longer, on average, compared to those who didn’t work out.
While this study was conducted with teenagers, research has established a relationship between physical activity and sleep for adults as well. In fact, exercise is credited as the “secret” to increased productivity, happiness and a whole host of other benefits. It affects your body in countless ways, both directly and indirectly.
Considering that poor sleep can negatively affect your mood, energy levels and stamina, you may be less likely to exercise after a night of tossing and turning. But, research says exercise can help improve the quality of your sleep — so the relationship between the two is somewhat of a never-ending cycle. Take care of your body by exercising and your sleep may improve. Don’t skimp on your seven to nine hours per night, and you’ll likely have the mood and energy level you need to incorporate physical activity into your day.
Exercise and sleep are two of the most important things you can do to take care of your body, so it’s not hard to see why one would affect the other — and vice versa! Need more sleep tips? Here are 50 other ways to improve it.