Dave Cross
With 20 years experience working in the fitness industry, Dave Cross has built a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience as a Coach and Personal Trainer. Dave now leads Group ...
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What type of workout promotes the deepest sleep?
For this, I would say a moderate level of cardio and aerobic training would be great. You can train around the vigorous style. This really does depend on what time of day and what your lifestyle suits as to when you can exercise. But it's really ideal to keep the moderate to intense exercise and the vigorous exercise a little earlier in the day if you can, so that you're saving the less intense exercise closer to bedtime, as that can really help you prepare for sleep and just bring your mind and your body at ease, especially closer within maybe the one to two hours of you choosing to go to bed.
Should I do a workout just before going to bed?
Personally, I wouldn't only because it sort of doesn't help me prepare to get ready to go to sleep. It's something that I think would hinder your method and your ability to actually really come to a rest if you really have to. Then, of course, but if you can save some of your training, especially more of the high intensity training earlier on in the day, absolutely do that. But again, if you have to, and if your lifestyle only suits a workout just before bed, I'd personally recommend something around the lines of a yoga or a good stretch or something that really isn't involve too much dynamics. Maybe a light resistance or a body weight workout, but nothing that's going to really elevate your heart rate too much is that can massively hinder your ability to get to sleep.
How much exercise do I need for better sleep?
Oh, so this is super individual. So really the guidelines the best to stick to are around 150 minutes of moderate aerobic training with two resistance training workouts per week. Now across the week, that doesn't necessarily have to be 150 minutes of jumping on a treadmill in the gym and getting super sweaty. It can be a mixture of anything that's going to keep you moving and mobile. So whether that's having a walk, walking the dog, getting out in the garden, if the weather permits or having a little dance around the kitchen whilst you're cooking anything like that, that's going to just increase your overall exercise and activity. And these are going to really help support your mental and your physical health as well. So definitely advise around 150 minutes of aerobic or cardio training and two resistant sessions.