Exercise&Sleep

A good night's sleep could start
with a workout in the morning

Getting off the couch in the morning could help some postmenopausal women sleep better at night, according to researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

Moderate exercise, about the intensity of a brisk walk for 45 minutes at least five days a week, helped women who exercised in the morning fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, said lead researcher Dr. Anne McTiernan.

Light stretching alone also appeared to improve sleep patterns.

Evening exercise routines didn't have the same effect on sleep quality and made it more difficult for some to fall asleep, researchers found.

Researchers studied 173 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 75 who were overweight, sedentary and not taking hormone-replacement therapy. The yearlong study, which ended in 2001, was conceived to examine the link between breast-cancer prevention and exercise, but was later broadened to include the effect of moderate activity on sleep.

The findings, which appear in the November issue of the journal SLEEP, support other smaller studies that point to a link between exercise and a good night's sleep, said McTiernan. "It gives us more confidence that exercise probably does have an effect on improving sleep."

Bernyce Edwards, 71, is sold on the benefits of exercise.

She volunteered for the study in memory of her daughter, who died in 1997 from breast cancer.

Since then, she's lost 20 pounds and falls asleep in five minutes. Edwards said she used to toss and turn, waking up several times at night to read.

"I sleep better than ever since I started exercising," said Edwards. "It energizes me but it also for some reason totally relaxes me."

Several days a week she walks to the West Seattle YMCA, takes an aerobics class and walks home. On Saturdays, she walks 3 1/2 miles along Alki Beach with her friend.

"I exercised during the study and I just kept on moving," said Edwards, who couldn't walk longer than 20 minutes on a treadmill when she first started. "I wouldn't trade this part of my life today for anything."

It's unclear why the benefits of exercise are greater for women who exercised in the morning, said McTiernan.

"(Exercise) could affect some hormones that keep you more awake," she said "In the morning, those energizing hormones make you feel good during the day. By the time night falls they'll have worn off and you can sleep better."

Poor sleep is a common problem for postmenopausal women and can lead to depression and difficulty concentrating.

Hot flashes can wake women up and a lack of estrogen might also contribute to restless sleep, said McTiernan.

For evening exercisers who have trouble sleeping, she suggests adjusting workout times.

"They might move (their workout) down an hour or go to sleep a little later."