Optimal Nighttime Exercises for Better Sleep: A Comprehensive Guide

2023-12-25 19:45:00

Finding the perfect time to exercise can vary from one person to another depending on their routine and free time, however, it is popularly believed that exercising at night can affect the quality of sleep, causing many people to abstain. exercising at night.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercising at night has no negative effects on sleep quality and, on the contrary, can help people fall asleep faster and spend more time in the deep sleep phase, always and when some recommendations are met.

One of these recommendations is not to do high-intensity exercise at least an hour before going to bed, as it increases heart rate, body temperature and increases adrenaline, making it more difficult to fall asleep, as demonstrated by the study ‘Effects of nocturnal exercise on sleep in healthy participants’, published in the scientific journal Sports Medicine.

Exercise to do before bed

An exercise that experts recommend to practice before going to sleep to be able to rest in the best way is yoga, a practice that has multiple health benefits, it helps relax the body and mind, which will help you fall asleep.

According to the Yoga Basic portal, specialized in this discipline, performing yoga before sleeping helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and stress, improves circulation helping to reduce blood pressure, relieves muscle and joint pain and helps reduce The insomnia.

Just as in yoga there are postures to increase energy and that are usually done in the morning, there are others designed to be done at night to relax the body, they are restorative postures that help with breathing. These will also help you fall asleep faster, sleep soundly, and feel rested the next morning.

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You can perform a routine of between 15 minutes and an hour, depending on your physical conditions, and may include the following postures.

Child’s posture

This is perhaps one of the most well-known yoga postures, it is recognized for having relaxing and calming effects, releasing tension in the back and shoulders and helping to stretch the back and the muscles around the hips.

To do this posture you must get into the table posture, that is, resting your hands and knees on the floor, then stick your hips to your heels and lower your trunk until your forehead touches the floor. The arms should be stretched out in front, always keeping them next to the ears.

Child’s pose – Getty Images / Luis Alvarez

Knees to chest

This is a very simple posture that can be performed by anyone, it helps stretch the back and spine, reduces muscle tension, improves digestion and helps prevent constipation.

Doing it is very simple, you just have to lie on your back and bring your knees bent towards your chest. To make it easier, you can place your hands on your knees or you can place them under your knees.

You can stay in this position statically or you can gently rock to the sides, rotating your trunk.

Posture Knees to chest – Getty Images / fizkes

legs against the wall

This position, as its name indicates, will require you to lie on your back, place your hips against the wall, and raise your legs. Keep in mind that your legs should always be well stretched and the rest of your body close to the ground.

This posture is perfect for people who spend a lot of time on their feet, it helps stretch the hamstring muscles, relieves tension in the lower back, and can reduce any type of cramp.

Posture Legs against the wall – Getty Images / Dangubic

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