AAs National Wellbeing Month begins, let’s talk sleep. As outdoor leaders, after long days of guiding and taking care of others, do we remember to focus enough on our own self-care? I recently read about new research that shows how intense exercise affects sleep when it’s done in the 4-hour window before bedtime. This can result in delayed sleep onset, less total sleep time, and an elevated resting heart rate. This finding is based on a year-long study of 14,689 individuals monitored with biometric gadgets, as reported in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications. That’s a solid foundation for understanding how our evening activities impact our rest and recovery!
The impact of intense exercise on sleep The sheer volume of data from this research – four million nights of analysis – underscores potential disruption when intense exercise affects sleep. Late strenuous activity can make it harder to fall asleep, reduce the overall hours of sleep we get, and keep our bodies in a more active state even when we’re trying to rest, as evidenced by the higher resting heart rate.
As outdoor leaders, we don’t always have full control over our working hours, and some of us lead activities well into the evening or overnight. This is why it’s important to think about how we wind down. Consistent, restful sleep is crucial for us to be at our best, both for ourselves and those we lead. I struggle with sleep myself, so this is a topic close to my heart.
Benefits and drawbacks
Intense physical activity, a cornerstone of our work in the outdoors, offers significant benefits for overall health, including improvements in cardiovascular function and mood regulation. These are factors that indirectly support healthy sleep patterns over time. However, research, such as the study in Nature Communications, suggests that potentially, intense exercise affects sleep when it’s too close to our sleep window. This proximity can interfere with the body’s natural preparation for rest.
Delving deeper: The science of how intense exercise affects sleep
The Naure Communications research provides a detailed look into the physiological mechanisms at play. Intense physical work in the hours leading up to sleep can trigger the release of cortisol, a hormone associated with alertness, and elevate core body temperature. Findings from studies using biometric monitoring suggest that these physiological responses can counteract the processes necessary for initiating and maintaining sleep. The four-hour window before bedtime appears to be a critical period where intense activity is most likely to have a disruptive effect on sleep architecture, potentially leading to less efficient and shorter sleep episodes.
Individual variability
While the general trends from large-scale studies are informative, it’s crucial to acknowledge that our individual responses to physical exertion and sleep are not uniform. Factors such as our personal fitness history, established sleep habits, and inherent biological differences can modulate how evening activity affects our rest. As the research implies, being attuned to our own sleep patterns following demanding workdays or late shifts is essential for understanding our unique sensitivity to the timing of physical activity. This self-awareness allows us to make informed choices about managing our activity and rest.
Gentle wind-downs for better rest
Knowing that intense exercise affects sleep, what can we do after a physically demanding day? Personally, I’ve found gentle self-care practices rooted in polyvagal theory and nature connection helpful. A mindful evening walk, deep breathing exercises, calming nature sounds can soothe us. Equally, a bit of quiet connection with a loved one can signal our nervous systems to downshift. And when we wind down well, we can get a more restful night’s sleep.
This National Wellbeing Month, let’s give our own wellbeing as much attention as we give to those we lead. A well-rested leader is a great leader, so why not try a soothing bedtime transition today?
Here’s the link to a short article about this: https://newatlas.com/fitness/evening-exercise-sleep/
Here’s the link to the Nature Communications study: https://newatlas.com/fitness/evening-exercise-sleep/
