3 Things to Know About Sleep and Exercise
Exercise is pretty important to us here at Mcycle. We take great pride in being able to provide our clients with a welcoming and supportive environment in which they can exercise with trained instructors who know how to take full advantage of indoor cycling. But did you know there is something just as important to health as exercise? That something is sleep.
You may not know it, but exercise and sleep are intrinsically linked. We’ve discussed the link between diet and exercise, but exercise is of very little value if you are not sleeping well. So while you are committed to exercising regularly by taking spinning classes, we also want to encourage you to do your best to get good, quality sleep. If you are having trouble sleeping and self-help advice isn't working, see your doctor.
To tie all of this together, here are three things to know about sleep and exercise:
1. Why We Exercise
Let us start with the exercise portion. People exercise for a variety of reasons. Some want to build muscle mass and endurance. Others want to lose weight. Still others understand that regular exercise goes a long way toward maintaining good health overall. But regardless of the reasons, there is one underlying factor common to all exercise: cardiovascular function.
We exercise to get our hearts working. We do it to increase blood flow. We exercise because good cardiovascular health pays off across the entire health spectrum. If exercise doesn't at least increase your heart rate, its benefits will be limited.
2. Why We Sleep
An unscientific analysis of why human beings sleep might suggest we do it because it feels good. But there is an actual biological function behind it. When we sleep, our bodies have the ability to restore and regenerate themselves. Worn-out muscles are built back up. Damaged tissue is repaired. Hormone production increases.
Sleep is down time for the brain. And while the brain isn't having to think, reason, and make sense of all the stimuli around us, the rest of the body's energy can go into repair and rejuvenation. How does this pertain to exercise?
Exercise is supposed to stress the body to some degree. When we sleep, the stress is repaired and the body gets stronger. If you do not sleep well, your body cannot repair so well. If you don't get enough quality sleep, your body doesn't have enough time to build itself up stronger.
3. Exercise at Any Time Is Good
Now that you understand the link between exercise and sleep, you might be wondering if there is a best time to exercise in order to facilitate quality sleep. In a word, no. There are studies suggesting different times for exercise, but they cancel one another out in the end. There really is no optimal time.
The only thing science can conclusively say is that vigorous exercise within 90 minutes before bedtime is probably not a good idea. Vigorous exercise gives your brain a boost of energy. Exercise that close to bed could make it difficult to fall asleep. Other than that, choose your favorite time of day and have at it.
Mcycle is here to help you with the exercise portion. Our indoor cycling classes are designed for students of all skill levels. From beginners to experts and everything in between, we have classes and instructors to meet every need. As for your sleep, there is plenty of great advice online that can help you learn how to improve your sleep. If none of that advice helps, your doctor can either work with you or refer you to a sleep expert.