Tempting as it may be, resisting the urge to power nap can be a valuable tool in tackling insomnia. It doesn’t have to be a long run – a brisk walk, gentle cycle or pushing a lawnmower all count as moderate exercise. To reap the maximum benefits, exercise outdoors in the morning exposure to light soon after you wake up will help you feel more alert and reset your circadian rhythm to help you fall asleep more easily that night. “The light exposure during the day will help you feel more alert as well, which is the other benefit of going outside and doing a bit of exercise.”

“There is quite good evidence that a range of different types of exercise can improve sleep quality and increase the proportion of deep sleep,” says Professor Guy Leschziner, a neurologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals in London, where he leads the sleep disorders centre. The research was based on UK Biobank data from 92,221 adults and showed that increased moderate or vigorous physical activity mitigated the mortality risks associated with short sleep duration.Įxercise can also help set your body up for better sleep the following night: at least 29 scientific studies have found that regular exercise improves sleep. It may feel like the last thing you want to do, but exercising after a sleepless night can help combat insomnia and negate the long-term health risks associated with poor sleep.Īn observational study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology has found that two and a half hours of exercise per week is enough to wipe out the elevated heart disease risk caused by chronic sleeplessness. If you’re tired of tossing and turning, here are six research-backed ways to undo the damage wrought by poor sleep. The good news is there are simple lifestyle changes that can negate or even undo the negative health impacts. That’s more than enough to keep you up at night. Research has also shown that the shorter the sleep duration, the greater the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Another study published in the journal Nature Communications found that a lack of sleep in midlife increases dementia risk. In one study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, people who sleep less than six hours a night were found to be 52 per cent more likely to die of heart disease. But these pale in comparison to the long-term health risks: poor sleep is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and a weakened immune system, among other serious health issues. If you are one of the 16 million UK adults who suffers from insomnia, you will be familiar with the short-term effects of a poor night’s sleep: grogginess, irritability and difficulty concentrating.

Many sleepless nights