Tips to Sleep

Sleeping is the bedrock of our lives. The lack of it can make us more impatient and more stressed.

Cardiovascular exercise, strength training and yoga can help us sleep better. Exercising during the day is better than working out at night due to body temperature and heart rhythm fluctuations.  Exercising can stimulate adenosine, which builds sleep pressure. Daytime energy expenditure means more sleep pressure and, usually, improved sleep. 

Body temperature is directly related to sleep and there is a natural decline in body temperature that occurs at night to signal your body to sleep, according to Dr. Candice Seti, a licensed psychologist and certified insomnia treatment clinician.

“There are things you can do to help your body temperature trigger sleep,” Seti said. “One of them is exercise. When you exercise, your body temperature rises. That temperature rise maintains for a few hours and then it steadily starts to drop. This drop can work with your body’s natural circadian rhythm and help promote sleepiness.”

“The way to do that is to get in 30 to 45 minutes of moderate-level aerobic activity and do it about 3 to 6 hours before bedtime,” she added.

Exercising shortly before going to bed is a bad idea.

“It can cause insomnia for many,” said Bill Fish, a certified sleep coach.

“You should be completely relaxed at least 45 minutes before going to bed,” Fish said. “Meaning, if you do work out, you should be showered and back to normal body temperature at least 45 minutes prior, to give your body time to relax and prepare for rest.”

“Beyond that, as long as you are getting 30 minutes of cardio throughout the day, you put yourself in a good position to get to rest quickly,” he noted.

In addition, to sleep well, avoid screen time in the hours before going to bed. This is because increased exposure to blue light from screens will decrease melatonin, which usually fluctuates with our circadian rhythm, impairing sleep.