Here’s to a Healthy 2018 – If you can’t exercise, then sleep!

Sleep is important for good health. There are many scientific studies that show a positive correlation between good sleep and health problems. In fact, not only are the numbers of hours you sleep important but also when you sleep is important as studies show for those individuals who have graveyard hours.
But, equally important, sleep is essential to your exercise routine. I always say that your body needs at least 8 hours of sleep to recover from a hard workout. So much physically goes on during that 8+ hours, you don’t want to minimize your gains.
Studies show that working out will help you sleep, but the benefits are not immediate. If you have just started working out, don’t expect that long night of uninterrupted sleep to start night one. One study showed that the benefits of exercise on sleep will take about four months of an exercise program before the effects of insomnia can be felt.
The one solid study on exercise found that there is a positive relationship between exercise and sleep, and sleep and exercise. If you don’t have neurological issues, then you should feel the positive effects of a workout in your sleep. Also, if you have a good night sleep you should feel the positive effects of that sleep on your workout. It’s synergistic.
However, if you do have clinic insomnia issues a hard workout may negatively impact your sleep. However, you still should feel the positive effects of a good, solid workout.
The study did find that if an exercise program is maintained, workouts will start to dial down a person’s response to stress. Having that stress level dialed down, allowed individuals to fall asleep more readily than those who do not exercise consistently.
Remember, that the effect of working out on sleep is not immediate. Also, remember that the workouts need to be consistent. So, set your goal for 2018 that you will work out consistently, and the sleep will come.