Does exercise truly enhance sleep?
Two recent studies support the commonsense view that exercise improves sleep in individuals with insomnia, but questions still abound. Do patients have to be fit to reap the benefits of exercise? Does exposure to bright light during exercise enhance sleep? Is shorter, more intense exercise more helpful than longer, more moderate activities? Does exercising too close to bedtime inhibit sleep? In considering recent research on sleep and exercise, this article addresses such questions and also looks at the relationship of exercise and sleep to anxiety, depression, circadian rhythms, and age-associated problems, such as sleep apnea.
Youngstedt
S D
SD
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.