Can resistance exercise help you sleep better? Experts suggest so
Texas, March 5: Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise as a way to get better sleep and sleep is important for cardiovascular health, suggests a new study.
The research has been published in the 'American Health Association' journal.
"It is increasingly recognized that getting enough sleep, particularly high-quality sleep, is important for health including cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, more than a third of Americans don't get enough sleep on a regular basis," suggests study author Angelique Brellenthin, PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.
"Aerobic activity is often recommended to improve sleep, yet very little is known about the effects of resistance exercise versus aerobic exercise on sleep. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report identified the need for more research into resistance exercise and sleep outcomes. Our study is one of the largest and longest exercise trials in a general adult population to directly compare the effects of different types of exercise on multiple sleep parameters," said Brellenthin.
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As per the previous research, not getting enough sleep or getting poor quality sleep increases risks for high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
Not getting enough sleep can also be linked to weight gain, diabetes and inflammation, all of which can worsen cardiovascular disease. Sleeping too much or too little also increases the risk of stroke, heart attack and death, according to a study.
According to the findings of the study, resistance exercise therapies could be a new strategy to promote improved sleep and cardiovascular health.
"While both aerobic and resistance training are beneficial to general health," Brellenthin said, "our findings show that resistance exercises may be superior when it comes to getting better ZZZs at night."
"Resistance exercise significantly improved sleep duration and sleeps efficiency, which are critical indicators of sleep quality that reflects how well a person falls asleep and stays asleep throughout the night. Therefore, if your sleep has gotten noticeably worse over the past two stressful years, consider incorporating two or more resistance exercise training sessions into your regular exercise routine to improve your general muscle and bone health, as well as your sleep," said the researcher.
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-PTC News
