Research
Adherence
Regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise improves sleep quality, reduces sleep onset latency, and decreases OSA severity, independent of significant weight loss.
Engage in regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. For insomnia, doing this about 3 hours before bed can improve sleep efficiency. For OSA, regular exercise can reduce disease severity even if you don't lose weight. Start slowly if fatigue is an issue, as exercise can help break the cycle of daytime sleepiness.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
an acute bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise approximately 3 hours before bedtime has been shown to reduce sleep onset latency, total wake time, and pre-sleep anxiety, while increasing total sleep time and sleep efficiency in those diagnosed with insomnia... exercise alone has been shown to improve OSA severity even without significant weight loss.
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies showing improvements, though some studies have small sample sizes or lack control groups.
Source
Association between sleep disorders, obesity, and exercise: a review
Trent A. Hargens et al. · Nature and Science of Sleep · 2013
narrative_reviewCited 240×
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