
Does Exercise Help You Sleep Better? - robg
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/phys-ed-does-exercise-help-you-sleep-better/?hp
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pwhelan
'There is “absolutely no scientific evidence” that working out in the late
evening keeps you from sleeping, Mr. Youngstedt says.'

That isn't what people say happens -- indeed I thought everyone knew that
working out late kept you up because workouts wake you up.

And that some people who exercise the most think they don't do enough should
show that self-ratings are questionable at best and not a basis for
"scientific evidence" in this case. Especially since "[w]orrying, as the Swiss
study showed, is what will keep you awake long into the night" can easily
interfere I would think that without taking general stress levels into account
that the study isn't particularly meaningful.

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timcederman
During my PhD program I regularly would go running around 10-11pm at night,
come home, shower and go straight to bed. I guess I just didn't know I wasn't
supposed to feel sleepy after exercise.

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asdflkj
That's not unusual. Running is very different from lifting weights or similar.
This discussion is worthless until "exercise" is more precisely specified.

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pwhelan
Not only that, it says nothing about stress levels (running is a great way to
relax). How hard were you working out -- low hr runs, sprint intervals, tempo
runs? Were you already a bit sleepy? Did you have established circadian
rhythms? “There’s no room for exercise to improve sleep, if people are
sleeping fine. [Mr. Youngstedt] said."

I am skeptical of the results when the researchers say that they cannot count
on the volunteers to accurately gauge their exertion levels but they can
accurately gauge the quality of their sleep (remembering of course that 6hrs
good sleep feels more restful than 8 on a plane). Also, gauging over-training
is a pretty difficult exercise (pardon the pun) which definitely messes with a
person.

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amanuel
The article concludes “It does not matter how much exercise” you actually
complete “as long as it make you feel good and feel fit.”

So it boils down to finding a way to relax and release any tension you may
have before you sleep. Ummm, I know of certain 'exercises' that could be done
on the bed that would help you sleep.

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byrneseyeview
It works for me. I usually wake up at around 8:30. If I have an early morning
meeting, I'll go running the night before, pass out when I get home, and wake
up at 6.

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presidentender
Exercise at 5pm helps me sleep better. Exercise at 9pm helps me sleep at
midnight.

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TheSOB88
Yes.

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username3
or no

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TheSOB88
It helps _me_.

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username3
then (Yes || no) == true

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bambax
I don't know, I never tried.

