Exercising twice a week or more ‘significantly reduces risk of insomnia’

EXERCISING twice a week or more can significantly cut the risk of insomnia, according to a longterm study.

People who do regular exercise are 42% less likely to have difficulty falling asleep than those who are inactive, and are 22% less likely to report any symptoms of insomnia.

The research, published in the journal BMJ Open, also found that people who kept exercising in the long term were significantly (55%) more likely to be normal sleepers (six to nine hours a night) than those who did not exercise.

They were also significantly less likely (29%) to be short sleepers (six hours a night or less) and 52% less likely to sleep for a very long time (over nine hours a night).

Even people who had not exercised previously, but who then took up exercise over the study period, were 21% more likely to be normal sleepers than those who were persistently inactive.

For the research, experts examined data from nine European countries involving 4,339 people, around half of whom were women.

Those in the study were asked questions on their exercise levels at the start, then asked again a decade later.

They were also quizzed on insomnia symptoms, such as how often they had difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking too early – and how long they slept for on average.

People who exercised two or more times per week, for at least one hour per week, were classed as physically active.

If they were still exercising at this level a decade later, they were classed as persistently active (25% of people), while 37% of people were persistently non-active, 18% became active and 20% became inactive.

Analysis of the data showed that “physically active people have a lower risk of some insomnia symptoms and extreme sleep durations, both long and short”.

However, the researchers, including from Imperial College London and Reykjavik University in Iceland, warned that the benefits could be lost if people stopped exercising.

Huw Edwards, chief executive of ukactive, the UK’S trade body for the physical activity sector, said: “Physical activity has a huge role to play in our physical and mental health, with benefits such as better sleep, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved productivity, social connection and wellbeing.

“This study shows the essential role that physical activity can play in lowering the risk of insomnia.”