If you suffer from occasional insomnia, exercise may be the key to ending those sleepless nights! 

Insomnia:  a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling and/or staying asleep.

Causes of insomnia can include:

•        Stress
•        Illness
•        Emotional or physical discomfort
•        Environmental factors (noise, light, extreme temperatures)
•        Certain medications
•        Depression and/or anxiety

Studies have shown that regular exercise improves sleep in people suffering from insomnia. Certain causes of insomnia including stress, depression, and anxiety can be eliminated simply from doing regular exercise.   In fact, exercise relieves both physical and emotional stressors in the body.  A lifestyle including daily exercise and a healthy diet can help you lose weight, increase self-esteem, and reduce stress and depression, all of which can deprive us of sleep.   It is recommended to do intense activity in the morning and moderate activity in the afternoon or early evening.  

Ways that exercise improves sleep:

•        Moderate exercise such as walking or yoga helps to ease muscular tension
•        Allows you to think more clearly due to increased oxygen flow to the brain
•        Vitalizes and relieves the nervous system
•        Activates the endocrine system and increases circulation
•        Increases endorphin production, which give you a sense of well-being
•        Stimulates release of epinephrine, which gives you a sense of happiness

And that’s another reason why we should all exercise regularly!

Melissa Lafrance, Nutritionist  melissa@rachellewood.ca