Using Exercise As A Natural Insomnia Cure

[marilyn glover]

When it comes to losing weight we are all aware of the valuable part
that exercise can play, but can exercise also be used as an insomnia
cure?
A number of studies have shown that people who take regular exercise,
and in particular women who exercise regularly, not only sleep longer
at night but also enjoy a better quality of sleep. So, rather than
turning to the sleeping pills, perhaps a quick visit to the gym or a
run may be the answer to solving your sleep problems.
A surprisingly large number of people have difficulty sleeping because
of excessive stress and, as if this were not enough, problems sleeping
often give rise to raised levels of cortisol which, in turn, makes you
feel even more stressed. It's something of a vicious circle. A lack of
sleep can also make you more irritable and so less able to cope with
stressful situations, adding even further to your difficulties.
Exercise can help in two ways.
First, although exercise initially raises the level of stress hormones
in the body, these fall within a few hours not simply back to their
original level but to a level below that seen before exercising. As a
result, regular exercise a few hours before bedtime can quickly break
the sleep-stress cycle.
Second, many people with sleeping problems find that they simply can't
clear their minds when they climb into bed ready for sleep. The
stresses of the day tend to run round and round in their heads
repeatedly and they simply can't relax. Exercise gives you the
opportunity to get out of the 'rat race' of the day for a short time
and gives you the time to quietly think through your problems, put
them into perspective and, more often than not, to actually come up
with a solution. Though this is not a direct result of exercise
itself, it is a valuable by-product.
One important aspect of exercise when using it in part as a tool to
cure insomnia is timing. Because exercise initially increases chemical
levels in the brain it makes you feel more awake and gives you more
energy. For this reason it's not a good idea to exercise shortly
before going to bed. However, if you exercise a few hours before
bedtime, you'll find that it works a treat. Exactly how far in advance
of retiring you should exercise will vary from one individual to the
next and so you should start by trying to exercise about four hours
before bedtime and then gradually increase the gap between exercising
and bedtime until you find the optimum time for your own sleep
routine.
Of course exercise has a number of other benefits including making you
feel great, improving your general health, helping you to lose weight
and giving you more energy during the day. So, before you turn to the
sleeping pills again, try a little daily exercise and enjoy a
basketful of
benefits.
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