Should I exercise to sleep better?
Yes. Regular aerobic exercise improves sleep quality, deepens slow-wave sleep, and reduces time to fall asleep. Timing matters: morning or afternoon is ideal; intense evening exercise can delay sleep onset.
The benefits
Meta-analyses show regular exercise improves multiple sleep metrics: sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and subjective quality. Effects are larger for moderate exercise than intense workouts.
Best timing
Morning exercise reinforces circadian alignment. Afternoon and early evening are also fine. Vigorous exercise within 2 hours of bed raises core temperature and adrenaline, delaying sleep.
Consistency
Most studies show benefits at 150+ minutes of moderate activity per week, distributed across days. Sporadic intense workouts help less.
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