The most effective in the fight against insomnia is resistance training – say scientists who have analyzed previous research on this subject. Sleep problems get worse with age and can affect up to 20 percent of seniors.
Sleep problems can be a serious difficulty, especially for the elderly. The authors of the new study, which appeared at the beginning of March in the magazine “BMJ Family Medicine and Community Health”, claim that from 12 to 20 percent. Seniors are struggling with insomnia. Physical exercises are one of the ways in which you can improve the quality of your sleep, and scientists have now checked what exercises are best in this respect.
Exercises for a good sleep
Researchers from the University of Bangkok looked at 25 different studies conducted in 1996-2021. They analyzed the data on the quality of sleep and exercises performed by over 2.1 thousand. people over the age of 60, i.e. in the age group, in which sleep problems are the most common. On this basis, they came to the conclusion that retaining exercises could be the most helpful in the fight against insomnia.
Resistance exercises, often called by force, are most often focused on increasing strength and muscle mass, but can also be used to improve fitness, figure or rehabilitation. These are primarily exercises with different types of loads, e.g. with weights or dumbbells, but also exercises on machines and exercises in which your own body burden is used, such as functional training or calisthenics.
“The results of this study indicate that strengthening exercises (muscles) are the most effective of all exercises, and in second place there are aerobic exercises and combined exercises” – says scientists, indicating that “all these types of exercises improve the quality of sleep.”
Strength training for health
CNN reminds that previous studies have already shown other benefits from strength (retaining) training. It has been found that it reduces blood pressure, improves blood and cholesterol sugar, reduces depressive and anxiety and generally improves the quality of life. – Strength training can be a good option for many people, because it is not intense and there is no risk of falling – indicates in an interview with CNN Dr. Rachel Salas, a dream neurologist, commenting on the results of the study.
Why strength exercises are the best to improve the quality of sleep, in turn, was explained by sleep psychologist Dr. Jade Wu. – Sleep is primarily the regeneration of the body after the effort that took place during the day – she emphasized in an interview with CNN. “Strength training causes literal muscle consumption, so sleep is needed to repair and growth then,” she added.
See also: Do you work at night? Are you a parent of an infant? Here is the recipe for the perfect nap
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