Let's say you had a bad night's sleep and you have a morning exercise routine, should you wake up and work out, or turn off the alarm and enjoy an extra hour of sleep?
Exercise can actually help alleviate some of the negative physiological effects of a bad night's sleep - Photo: sleepdunwoody
According to Women's Health, this decision is very personal, depending on your health goals, schedule, and priorities. But research shows that exercise can actually help alleviate some of the negative physiological effects of a bad night's sleep.
The effects of exercise and adequate sleep
Rhonda Patrick, PhD, a biomedical scientist who studies the link between sleep, exercise, and metabolic health, shares that a night of just four hours of sleep can have short-term negative effects in healthy people, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help counteract some of those effects.
However, while trading an hour of sleep for exercise can sometimes have positive benefits, sacrificing sleep to maintain strength and fitness is not a sustainable long-term solution. So how do you navigate this difficult balance?
There are many tools to help your muscles recover after a tough workout, but sleep trumps them all. Sleep is the body's ultimate recovery tool, when most of the important physiological processes take place, helping to maintain your energy and mood, according to Alexander Rothstein, an exercise physiologist.
During deep sleep, growth hormone production peaks, helping to repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise. Stress hormones like cortisol are balanced, and blood sugar levels are regulated. Missing just one night of good sleep can disrupt these processes, leading to fatigue and poor recovery.
When should you trade sleep for exercise?
“It’s important to monitor your body,” says Rothstein. “Sacrificing a little sleep for exercise can be a temporary solution to improve your health, but it needs to be carefully balanced with recovery.”
Try a HIIT workout on a day when you’re feeling a little tired and see if it helps you feel more energized. However, if you’re feeling exhausted, or showing signs of burnout, prioritizing sleep is a better option.
To balance exercise and sleep, sacrifice sleep wisely. Only trade sleep for exercise once or twice a week. Also, listen to your body. If you feel exhausted, prioritize sleep over trying to exercise.
You can plan ahead and schedule your workouts on days that fit your schedule, like after dropping the kids off at school or during your lunch break. Finally, be flexible. Don’t feel guilty if you need to change your plans. If your body needs extra sleep, make it a priority.
In summary, both sleep and exercise are important for overall health. The key is to find the balance that works for your needs and goals.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nen-ngu-them-mot-tieng-hay-thuc-day-som-tap-the-duc-20250117095434053.htm
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