New analysis has revealed that resistance and strength training are the most effective exercises for tackling insomnia.
In fact, data from 2,000 participants across various studies suggests that weighted workouts can improve sleep quality by up to 35 per cent more than aerobic exercise, such as running.
However, the research concludes that any type of exercise is likely to help you nod off.
The analysis focused on those aged 60 and above, a group particularly vulnerable to sleep issues. Previous research has found that up to a third of adults suffer from insomnia, with sleep quality declining naturally with age.
Experts attribute this to weakened circadian rhythms and reduced melatonin production, both of which can contribute to serious health risks, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The link between regular exercise and better sleep is well-established. Major health providers, like the UK's National Health Service (NHS), recommend ‘exercising regularly during the day’ as a course of self-treatment for insomnia.
However, as the scientists behind the new analysis – published in journal Family Medicine and Community Health – noted, little to no advice existed on the best kind of exercise to decrease insomnia.
To remedy this, the team, led by associate professor Dr Kittiphon Nagaviroj, pooled data from 24 studies, which involved over 2,000 adults aged 60 and above. Each of the participants had been formally diagnosed with insomnia and self-reported their sleep quality using a questionnaire.
The studies measured how different types of exercise impact insomnia, including aerobic activities like cycling, dancing, and swimming; resistance and strength training such as weightlifting and push-ups; balance and flexibility exercises like gymnastics and yoga; and mixed routines combining various forms. On average, the programmes lasted 14 weeks, with participants training for 50 minutes, two to three times per week.
Resistance and strength training emerged as the most effective, improving participants' sleep by 35 per cent more than aerobic exercise, as measured by another questionnaire.
It’s worth noting that researchers also found that sleep education improved sleep scores slightly more than aerobic exercise.
However, the team highlighted that some of the studies in the meta-analysis were vague as to what ‘sleep education’ entailed. As they point out, it could range from simple dietary advice on sleep-friendly foods to structured cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which helps tackle the deeper root causes of sleeplessness.
That said, the researchers emphasise a clear takeaway: “Exercise, particularly strengthening exercise and aerobic exercise, is beneficial for enhancing subjective sleep quality at a clinically significant level compared with normal activities".
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