Exercise and sleep quality question

Several years ago long before I knew I had sleep apnia I started geting a lot of exercise. After a month or so I had lost perhaps 8 lbs of the 150lbs
I realy need to loose. My sleep realy got a lot better. Anyone else notice
any big differences in there sleep apnia symptoms when there exercise
level changes? Lately I have been wanting to sleep 10 to 12 hours a day
and just wonder if this may be because I cut back on my exercise. The
doc just gave me some Provigil to try but I just wonder if just more exercise
might be better than another drug.

People who regularly exercise report having fewer episodes of sleeplessness than people who don't exercise. This is due, in part, to the fact that exercise helps our bodies transition between the phases of sleep more regularly and more smoothly.

Also, since exercise places physical stress on the body, the brain increases the amount of time we spend in deep sleep, the phase of sleep during which our bodies repair themselves.

There's no doubt that Americans are becoming more sedentary. Our lifestyles don't encourage physical activity. We drive everywhere, eat out more and sit in front of the television instead of going on a walk. Then, when we can't sleep at night, we complain.

Adding exercise to your daily routine can dramatically improve your sleep quality. What's also great is that you don't have to start training for the Iron Man Triathlon to get better sleep. Simply raising your heart rate for 20 to 30 minutes a day six days a week is enough to improve your sleep quality as well as your sleep time.

Studies show that breaking up your workout time into 10-minute increments is just as effective as having one longer workout, and it may be easier for you to squeeze in exercise throughout the day. Just remember to always do some slow stretches before and after your workout to help avoid injury and post-workout stiffness.

It's clear that exercise can improve your sleep quality without the potential side effects of many sleep medications. But, in order for exercise to have a positive effect on your quality of sleep, you need to choose your exercise time wisely. Late-night exercise can actually make it difficult to fall asleep at night. You'll see the most benefits when you exercise during the day or in the morning.

It might take a few weeks of trial and error to determine the best time of day for you to get your workout. If you're a morning person, however, you may want to wake up a little earlier every day and go to the gym or jog around the neighborhood. That will get your day off to an energetic start.


In order to get the maximum sleep benefits from exercising, you should get some type of cardiovascular exercise at least six days a week, such as:
jogging
jumping rope
kickboxing
riding a bike
walking.

Strength training is important for building muscle, increasing bone density and raising your metabolism. Incorporate some light weight lifting into your program to get the most benefit from the time you spend exercising.

Another effective strategy to improve your sleep quality is to do some kind of stretching throughout the day. You can get ideas for specific stretches from yoga tapes or classes, or you can talk to a physical therapist. Slow, gentle stretches at bedtime are also a good idea.

Resources

Lerche Davis, Jeanie. Morning Exercise May Help You Sleep. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from the WebMD Web site: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/76/90130.htm.

Nelson, Miriam. Sweat Yourself to Sleep. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from the WebMD Web site: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/11/1676_50097.htm.

Zamora, Dulce. Rev Up Your Energy. Retrieved January 15, 2007 from the WebMD Web site: http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/101/105954.htm.

Thanks Sleepydoll that explaned a lot. I was doing ok till about 6 months ago. My doc changed me from Lipitor to Simvistatin. Simvistatin has been
found to cause a lot of sleep problems. In me I started sleeping all the time and I cut back on exercise. I changed back to Lipitor and my sleep
did get some better but I never got back into the regular exercise patern.
Well I spent 45min exercising today and plan to do some on a daily basis
like I used to and go from there.

I ride my bike at least 5 miles every night and sprint on the leg home. When it gets hot or over 100F, I turn on the lights and ride it in the dark.

Then when I get back I take the dog for a walk for a mile or two.

If I don't, the dog is sitting in my lap whining that he doesn't care how tired I am he wants his walk. He usually wins.