Are you someone who, no matter how early you go to bed, seems to wake up every night between 2am and 3am?
Well, turns out this phenomenon, known as Middle-of-the-Night (MOTN) awakenings, is a pretty common experience, with one study finding 35 percent of people shoot up from slumber three or more nights per week.
Of course, this common sleep disturbance can be infrequently caused by heavy meals before hitting the hay or hot weather.
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However, those who suddenly wake up at 2am like clockwork may actually be experiencing insomnia.
What is insomnia?
If you’re unfamiliar, insomnia is a sleep disorder that makes falling asleep or staying asleep difficult.
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Sometimes, it forces you to open your eyes much earlier than you originally planned, despite going to bed at a reasonable time.
Other common insomnia symptoms include daytime fatigue, irritable feelings, and lying awake at night praying for some shuteye.
According to a survey commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12 percent of Americans claimed they had been diagnosed with chronic insomnia in the past.
If this sounds like you, then you may have already tried all the so-called miracle cures, like meditation and yoga, or even been prescribed sleeping pills by your doctor in the past.
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However, you’ll be pleased to know a new study looking into how to avoid intense nocturnal awakening has put forward the idea that by doing two simple things every week, your symptoms may begin to elevate.
How exercise can help insomnia sufferers
Recent research published in the journal Family Medicine And Community Health has found that all forms of exercise have a positive impact on sleep issues, especially in older people.
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That includes everything from cycling to swimming, salsa lessons and so much more.
This is because physical activity can reduce stress and anxiety - both common factors contributing to insomnia.
Movement can also produce endorphins, regulate your body temperature and positively adjust your body’s circadian rhythm.
However, experts have never been able to pinpoint what exercise explicitly works to reduce insomnia symptoms in senior citizens - until now.
Recent sleep study results found what exercise improved sleep scores best
To discover what form of movement is best for insomnia sufferers to partake in, researchers began by analyzing data from 24 clinical trials involving 2,045 participants aged 60 and above.
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Study patrons were tasked with working out two to three times per week for around 50 minutes, trying everything from hiking to gymnastics.
After each sleep, they were also required to answer the 21-point scale Pittsburg sleep quality questionnaire.
14 weeks later, the team discovered that those who participated in strength or resistance training that day led to a 5.75-point improvement on the index.
This essentially means participants fell asleep faster and woke up less often, as per The Mirror.
Meanwhile, aerobic exercises resulted in a 3.76-point improvement and the likes of yoga or Pilates showed a 2.54-point improvement.
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Two main exercises to do if you have insomnia
Following the study outline, the researchers revealed that engaging in activities such as push-ups and weight lifting twice a week could help you massively improve your sleep score, especially if you're over 60.
Speaking about the results, researchers from Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine in Bangkok said: "Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality.”
Meanwhile, Huw Edwards, chief executive of Ukactive said that the study showed how ‘essential’ resistance training can be in tackling insomnia.
“We know that exercise not only supports quality sleep but that a good night's sleep can help us feel better and be more productive the following day,” he added.
Topics: Sleep, Science, Health, World News
Ella Scott