Did you know that, like Winnie the Pooh, we’re programmed to sleep more in the winter? (our desire for sweet treats like Pooh’s pot of honey increases too, but that’s another story).
As the nights draw in and it gets colder outside, the natural response is to curl up in bed for longer, almost like human hibernation, but what if, like many people these days, you suffer from sleep problems which mean you aren’t getting enough just when your body needs it most?
One in five people in the UK suffer from some kind of sleep disorder, from waking in the night, or waking too early, to full blown bleary-eyed insomnia. If we aren’t getting as much sleep as we need we may be tired and irritable during the daytime, have reduced concentration or just feel under the weather. All the time. Mood disorders such as depression have also been linked to poor sleep patterns.
How is this linked to running, you may ask? Well, exercise that works your cardiovascular system, such as running does, can actually help you sleep, as long as it is done at the right time of day, ideally early evening or at least a few hours before bed. This is because exercise initially increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, but a few hours after your workout causes levels to dip, leading to more restful sleep. In addition, running stabilises blood sugar for up to 10 hours so you are less likely to be disrupted by sudden drops (hypoglycaemia) which can interrupt the sleep cycle. Running regularly can help your body get used to feeling more relaxed and sleepy at bedtime, helping you to drop off, and settle your sleep patterns so you get better quality shut-eye each night.
These claims are backed up by numerous studies showing that regular exercise reduces insomnia. One research study looked at people with primary insomnia and found that compared with those who did no exercise, those who spent 16 weeks following a structured cardio exercise program had a significant improvement in their quality of sleep, a reduced time taken to fall to sleep, and an increased time actually spent asleep.
Another review by scientists in Oxford looked at a range of studies conducted on exercise and sleep and concluded that regular exercise could not only enhance sleep, but by doing so contributed to a higher quality of life in general.
So there we have it, yet another reason to get running this winter is to help towards getting your optimum time between the sheets (and not in a naughty way).
Other Recommended Reading
- Beat the Wintertime blues
- Ever thought about running 510 miles in 6 days?!
- Run Away From Colds & Flu
- Run for your life! Motivational Tip 5
- Keep Running – Motivational Tip 3
About the author
I am a trained medical doctor and a writer specialising in health and medicine, fitness and outdoor sports and dreaming about becoming a novelist. I have been a runner for many years and have run-explored in places around the world including Paris, Barcelona, Lausanne, Porto, California, New York and North Carolina, to name a few. I also enjoy swimming, cycling, badly attempting sailing and other watersports, and thinking about doing a triathlon (whilst sitting comfortably at home drinking copius amounts of tea).
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