Overview
What is it?
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio or endurance exercise, involves activities that increase your heart rate and breathing for a sustained period. Examples include walking, running, cycling, and swimming. These activities are structured and repetitive, aimed at improving cardiovascular fitness and overall health.
How does it work?
Aerobic exercise improves sleep by affecting adenosine levels and body temperature. During exercise, your body temperature rises, and after exercise, it drops, which can help you fall asleep more easily. Additionally, aerobic exercise reduces anxiety and stress, which are common barriers to good sleep. It also enhances sleep continuity, reduces the time it takes to fall asleep (sleep latency), and increases overall sleep duration and efficiency.
What are the benefits?
Aerobic exercise offers several benefits for sleep, including improved sleep quality, reduced sleep latency, increased sleep duration, and better sleep efficiency. It also helps reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms, which can further enhance sleep quality. Regular aerobic exercise can lead to a more restful night's sleep and improved daytime functioning.
Effectiveness
What does the research say?
Research shows that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise significantly improves sleep quality, especially in individuals with insomnia. Studies have reported improvements in sleep duration, sleep latency, and overall sleep efficiency. For example, one study found that a 16-week aerobic exercise program led to a 1.25-hour increase in sleep duration and significant improvements in sleep quality scores.
Side Effects
Mild hypoglycemia (in some cases)
In some cases, particularly in individuals with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, aerobic exercise can lead to mild hypoglycemia, which can be resolved with rest and carbohydrate intake .
Brief symptom exacerbation (in specific populations)
For individuals recovering from conditions like sport-related concussions, aerobic exercise may briefly exacerbate symptoms, but this does not delay recovery and typically resolves within an hour .
Evidence
Clinical Studies & Trials
[1] Sleep physiology, pathophysiology, and sleep hygiene.
This review highlights the biological functions of sleep, common sleep problems, and lifestyle interventions like exercise that can improve sleep quality.
View study[2] Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors.
This paper discusses how aerobic exercise improves sleep quality by affecting adenosine levels and body temperature, reducing anxiety, and increasing sleep efficiency.
View study[3] The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.
This review outlines the benefits of aerobic exercise, including improved sleep quality and reduced anxiety, which can indirectly benefit sleep.
View study[4] Aerobic exercise improves self-reported sleep and quality of life in older adults with insomnia.
This study found that a 16-week aerobic exercise program significantly improved sleep quality, sleep latency, and sleep duration in older adults with insomnia.
View study[5] Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training on Quality of Life, Sleep Quality, Exercise Motivation and Enjoyment in Sedentary People with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
This study found that a 6-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program improved sleep quality by 21.4% in sedentary adults with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
View study[6] Physical exercise as non-pharmacological treatment of chronic pain: Why and when.
This review discusses how aerobic exercise improves sleep quality and quantity, particularly in individuals with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
View study[7] Facts and myths pertaining to fibromyalgia.
This paper highlights the benefits of aerobic exercise for improving sleep quality and reducing fatigue in fibromyalgia patients.
View study