

“Strength training and stretching before bed have been known to have little effect on sleep, as they do not release the same serotonin endorphins (known as ‘feel-good hormones’) that HIIT can, which would keep people up at night. In terms of the type of exercise you should do, Hayden says this can vary for everyone, but “some may find that high intensity exercise too close to bedtime could keep them awake.” “Exercise also encourages a sharp rise in body temperature, followed by a slow cool down, which mimics the natural fluctuations of the circadian rhythm and paves the way for sleep.”

“One of the main reasons for this is that exercise can calm anxiety and depression, helping the mind to relax and enable a good night’s rest. “There have been numerous studies which have found that exercise can not only help you fall asleep more quickly, but it can also improve the quality of sleep as well,” adds Hayden. Regular exercise is widely known for being great for the body and mind, but the benefits on sleep can sometimes be overlooked despite being so important. Whilst we should avoid eating a large meal before bedtime, a small bowl of porridge containing bananas, seeds and nuts or a banana and oat smoothie could potentially help to increase the amount of tryptophan available for conversion into melatonin. Great food choices if hungry before sleep includes porridge, bananas, seeds and nuts or a banana helps to increase the amount of tryptophan to allow for conversion into melatonin. “Although, not conclusive, some studies have shown improvements to sleep when consuming tryptophan foods, especially when the individual already experiences some sleep disturbances.” “Foods such as poultry, bananas, oats, seeds and nuts are all good sources of tryptophan,” explains Claire. To produce melatonin, our body requires tryptophan, which is an amino acid obtained from certain proteins in the diet. “Having a routine keeps us calm, and may prevent spikes in stress hormones and promote well-being.” Tryptophan in your diet She added how cortisol (stress hormone) naturally increases in the morning to wake us up but if a person has too much circulating in their blood later in the day it will be difficult for the sleep hormone, melatonin to have an effect. “The more our wake-up times fluctuate, the more our hormones will need to adjust, to catch up with us.”

“Our sleep hormones rely on a finely balanced circadian rhythm, which is an internal process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle and is dictated largely by our exposure to daylight. She added: “This includes waking up within the same 90-minute window each day.

“Keeping to a regular routine during the day where possible may help us regulate our sleep hormones more effectively,” says Claire.
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