• Vitamins & Supplements
  • Food & Drink
  • Sports Nutrition
  • Free From
  • Natural Beauty
  • Weight Management
  • Offers
  • Summer Shop
  • The Health Hub
  • Learn more Healthbox
  • Account
Track your order Delivery & Returns Help Centre My subscriptions

Customer Service

  • Contact us
  • Site map
  • Site map
  • Store locator

About us

  • Who are we
  • Working at Holland & Barrett
  • Press releases
  • Privacy & cookie policy
  • Terms & conditions
  • Holland & Barrett More
  • Holland & Barrett International
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Modern Slavery Statement

Connect with us

Store
0370 606 6606
My account
Rewards
  • Sign in
  • How do I join?
  • What are the benefits?
  • FAQs
Holland & Barrett :: the good life
  • Menu
  • Account
  • Store
  • Basket
    Search for
    • Vitamins & Supplements
    • Food & Drink
    • Sports Nutrition
    • Free From
    • Natural Beauty
    • Weight Management
    • Offers
    • The Health Hub
    • Healthbox

    Home / Conditions / Sleep / Sleep Help / Can exercise help you sleep?

    Can exercise help you sleep?

    Does exercising help you to sleep more soundly? There’s actually not a huge amount of research on how exercise impacts sleep, but some of the studies that have been done generally report that it has a positive impact.

    However, it seems that it really does depend on the type of exercise you do. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can help reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep, and increase the amount of sleep you manage to get.

    More intense exercise, such as lifting heavy weights and running, may not help sleep. For example, if you have just done a heavy boxing session, you might not immediately feel like sleeping afterwards. It takes some time for your body to calm down. Perhaps we need to partake in exercise that provides a gentle aerobic workout if we want to sleep well.

    So how exactly does exercise help you sleep better? There’s a few very logical explanations. First and foremost, doing light exercise can help you to de-stress and feel more relaxed, which will naturally help you to fall asleep.

    Another reason may be because when you exercise, your body temperature increases, then when you stop it cools down. This temperature drop can sometimes help you to drift off when you jump into bed. Lastly, exercise tends to ease things like anxiety, depression and agitation, helping you to feel more at ease before you go to sleep.

    The time of day you do exercise may also make a difference. For example, you might find it easier to fall asleep if you have done exercise in the afternoon or evening, because when you go to bed you will still be feeling the positive effects.

    So to conclude, research does suggest that exercise can help sleep. But it does depend on what exercise you do and when you do it. Some studies have also shown it takes a few months for the positive effects of exercise to start helping you sleep better. Exercise if obviously very good for you, so it’s an added bonus if it helps you get improved shut-eye.

    Handpicked Content: 10 tips for a good night’s sleep

    Tweet
    Follow on Instagram
    Sleep Help

    You may also like

    What are sleep gummies? And can they really help you sleep?

    Article

    What are sleep gummies? And can they really help you sleep?

    Gummies that can help you sleep: Sweet! But hold on a second. What are sleep..

    READ MORE...
    5 top tips for deeper and longer sleep

    Article

    5 top tips for deeper and longer sleep

    Do you sometimes wake up feeling like you’ve barely slept? You may be missing out..

    READ MORE...
    Insomnia: your complete guide + 15 of the best natural insomnia treatments

    Article

    Insomnia: your complete guide + 15 of the best natural insomnia treatments

    How to cure insomnia naturally: 15 of the best insomnia remedies Figuring out how to..

    READ MORE...

    Connect with us

    • Log in Register
    • rewards for life

    Customer service

    • Store locator
    • Contact us
    • Site feedback
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Delivery & returns
    • Site map
    • My account

    About us

    • Who we are
    • Working at Holland & Barrett
    • Press room
    • Privacy & cookie policy
    • Terms & conditions
    • Holland & Barrett More
    • Holland & Barrett International

    Brands

    • Holland & Barrett
    • Bootea
    • Dr Organic
    • Precision Engineered
    • Manuka Doctor
    • Good n Natural
    • Miaroma
    Register
    Click to verify if this website is operating legally

    Copyright © Holland & Barrett Retail Limited, 2017. All rights reserved. hollandandbarrett.com is a trading name of Holland & Barrett Retail Limited,. Registered office: Samuel Ryder House, Barling Way, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 7RH. Registered in England: company no. 2758955. Registered VAT no. 211727395.