Sleep is the vital component your workouts might be missing
This week mark National Fitness Day on the 21st, a time to reflect on our own fitness efforts and see what steps we can take to improve our overall health and wellbeing.
But even for the most dedicated gym goer, it can be frustrating to not see the results you want from your fitness. Maybe you notice that you feel tired in the gym, or find it difficult to push yourself to your limits. If so, sleep may have a part to play.
Sleep and fitness go hand in hand, forming a mutually beneficial relationship where both parties are improved by the existence of the other. When you sleep better, you exercise better, and when you make time for regular exercise, your sleep quality can improve.
We’re going to take a closer look at this connection, exploring the various factors involved in improving your sleep and fitness.
Regular exercise can help you sleep
If you’ve ever felt eh exhaustion that comes after a heavy workout or a long hike, it won’t surprise you to learn that exercising regularly can help you enjoy longer, better periods of sleep.
One study published in Sleep Medicine instructed participants who slept less than 6.5 hours a night to complete moderate intensity workouts four times a week for six weeks. By the end of the experiment, they reported an average extra 75 minutes of sleep per night, more than any drug has helped to deliver.
Exercise can be used to regulate your circadian rhythm, which in turn can help your body know when it’s time to sleep and when it’s time to rally. Morning exercise can increase your energy levels during the day, while low intensity evening exercise – like yoga or Pilates – can help you wind down ahead of hitting the hay.
Sleeping better can improve your fitness
While exercise can benefit your sleep, sleep itself is absolutely essential when it comes to exercise. To put it simply, the more rested you are, the better your mind and body can function, and this includes at the gym.
Adequate sleep can improve strength, mobility, endurance and even willpower, with studies showing that getting enough sleep helps motivate people to stick to their exercise plans. One study in the Journal of Sleep Medicine found that the more time people sleep, the more likely they’d be to complete their exercise regime.
W. Christopher Winter, MD, author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It, describes the importance of sleep for exercise, saying:
“Getting enough sleep can not only give you more drive and strength to maximize your workout, but its effects on concentration, mood, and focus can make you more efficient and better prepared for that workout.”
On the flipside, not getting enough sleep can make exercise harder both physically and mentally. A study published in Sports Medicine found that those who exercise on less sleep will fatigue faster, making it feel tougher to work out to your maximum capacity.
In order to get the best results from your exercise, you need both effort and rest. Without giving yourself the time you need to rest and recuperate, you’ll struggle to see the results you want from your fitness.