Exercising Helps Promote Sleep

As part of Your Health Matters program, a tip of the week is published to give employees information on managing stress, eating properly, exercising safely and, in general, living a healthy life.

When was the last time you woke up feeling refreshed and ready to face the day? If it's been a while, you might want to take stock of your sleep situation. Although it is normal to have an occasional sleepless night, frequent poor sleep can hurt your health. There is good news that exercise helps.

It may seem like a contradiction, but being active is a good way to get some rest. Studies show that regular exercise can help you sleep not only longer, but also more deeply. In a study, older people who began a regular exercise program of moderate intensity were able to fall asleep about 15 minutes faster and sleep about 45 minutes longer compared to when they were living a sedentary lifestyle. Read below on tips for better sleep.

1. Exercise for at least 20-30 minutes per day on most days of the week, or for longer periods if your fitness level permits it.

2. For optimal sleep promotion, try to exercise in the afternoon.

3. Avoid intense exercise within three hours of bedtime, which can disrupt sleep habits.

4. Intense exercise may offer more sleep benefits; however, even moderate-intensity exercises can help.

5. Exercise in bright sunlight if possible.

6. Perform a combination of aerobic (walking, running, etc.) and anaerobic (weightlifting) exercises.

Check out the Health Action programs from Your Health Matters to help you get in good health. Go now to http://www.bnsf.com/healthmatters/html/action.html . (Note: Use access code wellcare with HealthMedia link to get started.)

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BNSF Today

Exercising Helps Promote Sleep

2005-03-08

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