Exercising ‘could help you sleep better’

People who work out more are less likely to need sleeping pills (Image: GETTY) Do you struggle to sleep? Well new research has found individuals who engage in regular physical activity are less likely to rely on sleeping pills. The study also reveals that the positive impact of exercise is more pronounced in men compared to women. Sleep problems affect a significant portion of the population, with 10 to 20 percent of individuals experiencing long-term sleep issues that often lead to the use of prescription sleep aids. However, researchers suggest that exercise could offer a more effective solution. Dr Linda Ernstsen, an Associate Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, said: ‘We’ve observed that people who are in better physical condition have a lower risk of taking prescription sleeping pills.’ The findings, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, indicate the fittest men had a 15 percent reduced risk of requiring sleep medication, while women who exercised regularly had a five percent lower likelihood of needing sleeping drugs. Exercise could be the answer to better kip (Image: GETTY) Dr Ernstsen said: ‘The corresponding percentage risk for the fittest women was much lower. But women who struggle with sleep can still benefit from getting in better shape.’ The research team analysed data from the extensive Trøndelag Health Survey conducted in Norway. Over 240,000 participants from Trondheim have been involved in the survey since its inception in 1984, with four survey rounds completed to date. For this study, the researchers focused on 34,357 participants who took part in the third Trøndelag Health Study between 2006 and 2008. The average age of the participants was just over 51, and they were followed until January 1, 2018, allowing researchers to track the evolution of their health over many years. The study revealed approximately 17 percent of the participants experienced sleep issues severe enough to warrant a prescription sleep medication. However, those who were more physically fit relied less on these medications. The research team hopes that these findings will influence the advice given by doctors regarding sleep. Dr Ernstsen concluded: ‘Our findings support the idea that improving or maintaining fitness can be an effective alternative for preventing sleep problems.’ This article was crafted with the help of AI tools, which speed up  Express.co.uk ‘s editorial research. A news editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to  readercomplaints@reachplc.com .