Paper
Exercise in Sleep Disorders
Published 2011 · J. Kaur, Charu Sharma
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Abstract
A healthy amount of sleep is paramount to living a healthy life. Good quality sleep is an important part not only for living healthy but also for leading a productive life, physically and mentally. Chronic sleep restriction in today’s demanding lifestyle, however, is very common 1. Sleep deprivation and other sleep disorders can have serious effects on health. Research shows that all mammals need sleep, and that sleep regulates mood and is related to learning and memory functions. Inadequate rest impairs a person’s ability to think, handle stress, maintain a healthy immune system and control emotions. People who regularly engage in exercise have fewer episodes of sleeplessness. Exercise promotes improved sleep quality by allowing smoother and more regular transition between the cycles and phases of sleep. Moderate exercises lasting 20 to 30 minutes four to five times a week helps in sleeping better. Vigorous exercise during the day and mild exercise at bedtime not only aids in falling asleep easily but also increases the amount of time spent in deepest stage 4 sleep. For some people, exercise alone is sufficient to overcome their sleep problems2-4. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers studied the effects of exercise on the sleep patterns of adults aged 55 to 75 years who were sedentary and troubled by insomnia. These adults were asked to exercise for 25 to 30 minutes every other day in the afternoon by walking, engaging in low-impact aerobics, and riding a stationary bicycle. The result showed that time required to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost one hour.
Regular exercise, such as 20 to 30 minutes four to five times a week, improves sleep quality and reduces sleeplessness, potentially overcoming sleep problems.
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