One of the reasons you’re having difficulty sleeping may be that you’ve not taken enough exercise. We seem to have forgotten that the human body is designed to function best when it has gentle, steady aerobic exercise on a regular basis.
I strongly recommend that you include at least three sessions of aerobic exercise each week as part of your treatment for any sleep disturbance. Talk to your GP about which exercise is best for you. There are many possibilities: walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, and using cardio machines in the gym are a few of the more popular choices.
By a session, I mean 20 to 30 minutes of steady movement. Steady movement is more important than great exertion for our purposes, because the aims are to encourage deep breathing and to release endorphins, which, in turn, improve your mood. Regular aerobic exercise is also a key factor in reducing anxiety.
The other thing I would say with regard to exercise is that the timing of your workout is important. Exercising later in the evening may leave you feeling more alert than you’ll want to be when you’re getting ready for bed. Plan to take your exercise at least several hours before you go to bed.
The benefits of regular exercise are not always immediate, so do be patient. It generally takes about six weeks before you’ll notice how much more relaxed you’re beginning to feel at bedtime.
