Why is exercise good for me?

Regular physical activity has been shown to improve both sleep quantity and sleep quality. Exercise helps to increase energy levels and helps us to deal with emotional problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Exercise gives us a rush of feel-good chemicals (e.g. endorphins) that can help improve our mood.

Keep in mind that vigorous exercises should be done earlier in the day, and no later than 3 hours before bedtime. This is because:

When you exercise, your body is put in a physical state ready for activity. Hormones are released that put your brain in a heightened state. Heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature increase. It takes time for your body to fall back into relaxation mode necessary for sleep.

Developing a routine helps us stick to regular exercise more easily. Schedule into your day a time when you can exercise and/or go for a walk. Make sure your plan is realistic and achievable.

The changes in our physical activity that we make don’t have to be too drastic. We don’t have to buy expensive gym memberships or equipment, it can simply be small changes like parking our car further away from the office or supermarket entrance, going for a brisk walk at lunch-time, getting active in the garden, or cycling and walking to get to places. Consistent physical activity can help keep our mood levels healthy. We can get active at our own pace, in our own way.

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