{"id":6552,"date":"2022-09-16T17:55:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-16T17:55:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=6552"},"modified":"2022-09-16T19:09:58","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T19:09:58","slug":"why-resistance-training-might-be-the-key-to-better-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/why-resistance-training-might-be-the-key-to-better-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Resistance Training Might Be the Key to Better Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most people are aware that if you want to get better sleep, making exercise a priority is a great place to start. But while many people think that running, biking, and other forms of cardio are the key to catching more high-quality Zzz\u2019s, it turns out that there\u2019s another type of workout that may be the key to better sleep\u2014and that\u2019s resistance training.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at how resistance training impacts sleep<\/a>\u2014and how to lift your way to a better night\u2019s rest. <\/p>\n

How does resistance training promote better sleep?<\/h2>\n

First things first. How, exactly, does resistance training impact sleep\u2014and how can your time in lifting weights and doing other forms of resistance training actually help you get better rest?<\/p>\n

\u201cThis workout type is\u2026linked to improved sleep quality overall and increased sleep duration,\u201d says Alex Savy, certified sleep science coach and the founder of SleepingOcean.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s research to back that up. In a recent study<\/a>, researchers from Iowa State University studied the impact of both resistance training and aerobic exercise on participants over the course of a year. Of the participants that reported getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night at the beginning of the study, the participants that regularly engaged in resistance training increased their sleep duration by 40 minutes over the course of the study\u2014almost twice as much as the aerobic group (which increased their sleep duration by 23 minutes). <\/p>\n

In addition to increased sleep duration, the resistance training group also experienced better sleep quality, including being able to more easily fall and stay asleep.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also research that suggests that \u201cmoderate-intensity resistance training can help patients with <\/a>chronic insomnia<\/a> sleep better<\/a>,\u201d says Savy.<\/p>\n

Why does resistance training help you get better sleep?<\/h2>\n

Clearly, resistance training can help you get better sleep. But the question is\u2014why? \u201cSleep is a necessary part of muscle recovery, so more taxing workouts encourage your body to sleep more deeply and longer throughout the night,\u201d says Dr. Grant Radermacher, sports chiropractor at Ascent Chiropractic <\/a>in Brookfield, WI. <\/p>\n

Resistance training may also help your body produce more sleep-supporting chemicals\u2014which can make it easier to fall asleep. \u201cStudies show that resistance training often boosts adenosine production<\/a>,\u201d says Savy. \u201cThis chemical causes that drowsy feeling that often helps people fall asleep easier and enjoy deeper, more restorative rest. So, a post-workout adenosine boost can help people prevent sleep offset and drift off easier, potentially catching more hours of sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tips for using resistance training to get better sleep<\/h2>\n

Want to use resistance training to get better sleep? Here are some tips to help you lift your way to higher-quality Zzz\u2019s (and all the benefits that go along with it).<\/p>\n

Start slow<\/strong>. Now that you know the sleep-boosting benefits of resistance training, you may be tempted to jump right in and start lifting heavy weights. But if you\u2019re new to resistance training, the best approach is to start slow. \u201cStart slow, add weight gradually, and focus on proper form,\u201d says Radermacher. \u201c[By taking this approach], you’ll reduce your risk of injury and be less likely to suffer from the delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that most new lifters deal with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t work out too close to bedtime<\/strong>. Resistance training may help you get better sleep\u2014but if you work out too close to bedtime, it can actually have the opposite effect. \u201cResistance exercise too late in the day can increase heart rate and body temp in a way that\u2019s disruptive to sleep,\u201d says Radermacher. \u201cLeave a gap of at least two hours after working out to allow your body to wind down before bed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t abandon cardio<\/strong>. Just because resistance training may be a better form of exercise for improved sleep doesn\u2019t mean you should completely abandon your morning run or weekly bike ride! Cardio offers a huge variety of benefits<\/a>, from lower risk of heart disease and diabetes to improved mood\u2014so to promote optimal sleep and<\/em> overall health, consider making both cardio and resistance training a foundational part of your fitness routine.<\/p>\n

The post Why Resistance Training Might Be the Key to Better Sleep<\/a> appeared first on Fitbit Blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While many people think that cardio is the key to catching more high-quality Zzz\u2019s, it turns out that there\u2019s another type of workout that may be the key to better sleep\u2014and that\u2019s resistance training.
\nThe post Why Resistance Training Might Be the Key to Better Sleep appeared first on Fitbit Blog.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[20,1,21,22,19],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6552"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6555,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6552\/revisions\/6555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}