Experts carried out a study comparing the sleep of those who trained at night and sat down before resting
Have you ever heard someone say that exercising at night disturbs their sleep? Has this led you to exclude this free moment to do some physical activity from your agenda? If so, today is the day to find out whether this opinion is a myth or a truth. See what the study says University of Otagofrom the New Zealandpublished by Einstein Agency.
The study
The research, published in the scientific journal BMJ Open Sports and Exercise Medicineevaluated the sleep of 28 people. To reach their conclusions, the experts asked participants to perform three minutes of simple resistance exercises, such as chair squats, calf raises and standing knee raises. These were distributed at 30 minute intervals, for four hours, starting at 5pm. On other days, they assessed the sleep time of the same people who, this time, sat all the time before going to sleep, which is considered a sedentary lifestyle.
Does doing physical activity at night affect your sleep?
The results showed that when the tested people exercised, they ended up sleeping 29.3 minutes more than on days when they sat for a long time. In other words, there were no significant differences in sleep efficiency, nor were there many interruptions that caused awakening. Researchers also drew attention to the fact that sitting for many hours at a time can cause an increase in diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even lead to death.
Intense exercises
Despite the tests, the pulmonologist Marcelo Rabahisleep medicine specialist from Israelite Albert Einstein Hospitalfrom Goianiawarns against practicing intense, high-impact physical exercises at night, such as running, swimming and cycling. “During this period, the body produces some substances, especially endorphins, which keep the body more active and awake, and this could disturb night’s rest. So, eliminating them could disturb sleep. However, there are warnings. Because, in the end , the person has time to exercise only at night we want to evaluate the health benefits, it is better to do physical activity.”analyze.
How do you know if you’re intruding?
Therefore, even with the inclusion of this hobby, many people continue to have excellent nights’ rest. On the other hand, the point of attention is whether the disorder of insomnia or excessive sleepiness during the day occurs. “In these cases it is necessary to consult a doctor, because during the evaluation we will investigate the various reasons for insomnia and, possibly, we can interpret that perhaps that physical exercise that the person does immediately before going to bed would be getting in the way”account.
Micro-awakenings
The expert points out that what hinders restful rest are those moments when we wake up in the middle of the night. These are called micro awakeningsand it is they who we need to worry about most. “They activate the central nervous system without the person realizing they have woken up. They generally occur in those who suffer from apnea, restless legs syndrome or other sleep disorders. So if a person sleeps eight hours a night, but has 50 micro – you wake up at the hour, the quality of your sleep may be worse than that of someone who sleeps six hours without waking up, for example”details.
Use your free time at night
Therefore, if the period before the shutdown is the only time you need to do physical activity, the professional recommends doing so. And you don’t need much, you just need to have considerable space in your home and in your body, since it is possible to do them without gym equipment, such as dumbbells. “This cannot be an excuse because it will disturb your nightly sleep. Exercise at a pace that gives you comfort and, if possible, respect this four-hour period before going to sleep. If you notice that it takes longer to fall asleep, you should change the intensity of physical exercise or possibly the time of day”he concludes.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
