Exercise your way to good night sleep and beat stress

The link between stress and sleep

Stress is often seen as a bad thing, but it is a response that humans and animals have developed to help them deal with important or dangerous situations. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) in people can release hormones like adrenaline and cortisol when they are stressed. These hormones speed up the heartbeat to get blood to vital organs and muscles more quickly. This gets the body ready to act quickly if it needs to. This reaction is called the “fight-or-flight response,” and it was important for humans to survive. Therefore, exercise for good sleep can try.

Read more – Benefits of daily meditation

What to do for good sleep?

Our normal schedules have been messed up, and we go through a lot of such situations in life that make us feel worried. Many people can’t sleep from stress. Overthinking further worsens the situation. Exercising can reduce stress. It lengthens and improves sleep, so workout to sleep well.

In general, avoid intense exercise an hour before bed. Stretching and meditation practices like yoga improve sleep. During these workouts, soothing chemicals and physiological reactions calm the nervous system.

At night, try this short sleep routine. A thick book or yoga block, two tennis balls, and socks will do. Make sure the breath should be emphasised and extended. These breathing exercises increase the relaxation response.

How does exercise help in sleep?

How exercise helps to sleep better?  “It’s possible that we’ll never be able to figure out how the two are connected”.

We can know, but anyway, that moderate aerobic exercise tends to make you get more slow-wave sleep. Slow-wave sleep is when the brain and body get a chance to rest and charge up. It is the time when the heart rate and the respiratory rate are decreased and muscles also tend to relax. Exercise can also help keep your mood stable and clear your mind, which is an important mental process for falling asleep on your own.

Exercise (Stretches) before bed to get good sleep

1. Bear hugging

• Open arms and feet hip-width apart.
• Cross one arm over the other at the elbows and grab opposing shoulder backs.
• Stretch the shoulders for 20 seconds while inhaling deeply.
• Repeat the stretch, alternating arm crosses.

2. Head rolls

• Straighten your back and lower your chin.
• Roll the head right so the ear is over the right shoulder.
• Hold for 5 seconds, then rotate head to chest.
• Head left so the ear is above the left shoulder.
• Hold for 5 seconds, then roll the head three times clockwise.
• Counterclockwise roll the head three times.

3. Spinal twist

• One side on the floor or mattress.
• Bend both knees a little more than 90 degrees at the hips, keeping the knees bent and the feet touching.
• Adjust hips, shoulders, head, and spine.
• Extend the lower arm to chest level, resting it on the floor or mattress, and grab the rib cage with the upper arm.
• Engage the abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine while bringing the shoulders back and down.
• Exhale and twist the torso by pulling the rib cage with the arm. Rotating the hips leads the upper thigh to move backwards when twisting.

4. Seated, bend forward

• Sit up straight on the floor or a mattress with your legs stretched out in front of you and your toes pointed up. Keep your hands on the tops of your thighs and your head in line with your spine.
• Use your stomach muscles to keep your back stable.
• Exhale slowly and bend forward while keeping your back straight. Slide your hands down your legs toward your ankles or toes. Don’t round your shoulders. Keep your head and spine in line, and make sure your toes point up.
• As far as it feels good, bend forward. If you have to, grab the ankles or toes.
• Hold for 15–30 seconds, then let go and take 30 seconds to relax.

5. Put your legs up on the wall

• Lie flat on the floor or bed with your back against a wall and straighten your legs.
• Grab your hands behind your thighs, just below your knees, and pull your legs gently toward your chest. If it’s hard to reach or grab the thighs, use a towel or resistance band.
• Hold for 30–60 seconds, then let go and take 30 seconds to relax.
• Two to four times exercise for good sleep.

6. Stretching to the side while seated

• Sit up straight with your back straight, your knees bent, your head and spine in line, and your hands at your sides.
• Press one hand into the floor or a mattress and one had to press your abs. Then, slowly bend your torso to the side of the pressing hand, lowering your elbow to the floor as you stretch the other arm over and across your body.
• Continue to bend to the side as much as you can. Hold for 15–30 seconds, then let go and take 30 seconds to relax.
• On each side of the body, do these steps two to four times.

Therefore, above mentioned exercise for good sleep will help you and it can affect you in numerous ways also.

How Could Sleep Reduce Stress?

Resting is a great way to reduce stress. When you take a break, your body can calm down and get back to normal. Your mind is clear, and you learn how to make choices and get around. When you’re well rested, you can solve problems better and deal with stress better. You lose energy and can’t think as well when you don’t get enough sleep. Sleeping can also be difficult when you are stressed.

When you don’t get enough sleep, you might notice that you can’t think properly as well. Not getting enough sleep makes you more sensitive, quick, and fragile to bad decisions. These difficulties caused by not getting enough rest can cause stress in a lot of different ways, like making it difficult to see a person or even do your job.

Conclusion and CTA

If sleep does not reduce stress on its own, recommend a physician for the following medication to treat the sleep condition. Alternatively, they may prescribe a medication which will treat insomnia and also reduce stress. 

After consulting with your doctor, you may also refer to our Truemeds Physicians, which provides free online consultations. They provide you with home medicine delivery, a discount offer, and monthly savings on your medical bill. Online pharmacy, Truemeds, provides the highest-quality medications at the lowest prices. It also provides all varieties of medications, including branded, over-the-counter, and nutritional supplements, as well as Generic medicines online at an affordable price. We are India’s most reliable and genuine online medicines supplier. When you select an alternative or generic drug that is advised by our Truemeds expert doctors, you may be able to save additional money when you make your order for prescriptions online. Truemeds provides necessary medicines savings of up to 72% off costs with PAN India home delivery.