Sleep Q & A – getting the (s)low down on sleep

I was recently asked to provide media content for a journalist fielding questions about sleep, exercise, and related helpful strategies and tools. I thought you might also find this content applicable to some of your clients.

Q1. When is the best time of day to exercise to enhance sleep quality and quantity?

When we discuss recommendations, it is important to recognise that people have different alertness cycles. For example, teenagers are more likely to go to bed later than their parents. This isn’t to annoy their parents; their biological clock is ‘phase shifted’ later by about an hour or two. It is considered an evolutionary survival characteristic, having different groups of people in the clan alert at various times of the night. Most will grow out of this in their early 20s. Likewise, adults also have a variety of natural bedtimes; some are larks, preferring an early bedtime, while others are described as owls, going to bed later than the norm. Thus, there is a degree of variation.

For this reason, it is recommended that strenuous exercise be completed several hours before bedtime (which will vary), allowing sufficient time for body temperature and sleep-wake hormones to normalise. Research indicates that exposure to sunlight and exercise first thing in the morning helps regulate the sleep-wake (circadian) cycle and improve a person’s ability to initiate and maintain sleep.

Q2. How can exercise during the day improve sleep quality, and how much exercise do you recommend?

Exercise can enhance sleep quality and quantity in several ways. Firstly, most people spend around 80% of their day (work, travel, and recreation) sitting. Sitting requires little energy expenditure and therefore demands minimal recovery. However, while sitting, people review information, analyse data, manage others, and make decisions. This creates a mismatch between their mental fatigue (from work, family, and personal demands resulting in decision overload) and their physical non-fatigue. As a result, they may feel tired due to mental exhaustion but struggle to sleep due to a lack of physical fatigue.

Another contributing factor relates to our body’s chemistry. When we are preoccupied with to-do lists, KPIs, deadlines, and appointments, our sympathetic nervous system (i.e., fight, flight, and freeze functions) works hard to keep us on top of, or ahead of, the next problem or perceived threat. To achieve this, the sympathetic system releases chemicals into our body (e.g., adrenaline, cortisol) that raise our blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and blood distribution. This keeps us alert, focused, and ready for action. This system was designed to provide the body a short-term energy boost (like the blue Nitro button in Fast & Furious movies). However, most modern problems are armchair threats, ongoing in nature, and require little physical reaction to resolve. The natural way to dissipate these chemicals is through physical activity; without it, we experience a buildup in our bodies, and they are still present when we need to sleep.

The Australian Guidelines for physical activity and exercise are a good starting point. https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians Often, exercise programs must be tailored to individuals’ needs, access to equipment, starting point and concurrent limitations.

Q3. Is there a point in the evening, or how long before bed, should people stop doing high-intensity workouts to avoid disrupting their sleep?

This will depend on the individual, but as noted in Q1, it is generally recommended to avoid high-intensity exercise several hours before bedtime.

Q4. Are there any specific physical exercises or stretches you recommend for signalling to the body that it’s time to wind down?

Q6. What about relaxation techniques, such as breathwork, can they help with winding down in the evening?

I have blended Q4 and Q6 as they address the concept of winding down.

Q2 outlines why a person might find themselves in a situation where they have trouble initiating or sustaining sleep and may need to consider a wind-down routine. Their sleep routine is robust if they generally fall asleep within 30 minutes (normal sleep latency), sleep 7-8 hours (normal for an adult), and wake up feeling refreshed.

If not, consider adopting some of the following:

1. Resolve issues during the day so that your brain will not remind you at night. Try a worry diary in which you write out the issues from the day and the steps you can take to move them toward resolution.
2. Aim for 45 to 60 minutes of exercise daily, preferably in the afternoon, as this will burn off the cortisol and adrenaline accumulated during the day. This aligns with National Activity and Exercise guidelines for physical and mental health. Consult a physiotherapist or another qualified health professional for an individualised activity plan.
3. Establish a consistent evening routine and observe good sleep hygiene (access 16 Day & Night Sleep Hygiene tips). Routine helps the brain relax because it knows what to expect next. Use body temperature regulation—avoid food 2-3 hours before bed, take a warm shower 30-60 minutes before bed, and keep your bedroom cool to signal to your brain and body that you are ready for sleep.
4. Develop a calming bedtime routine (15-20 minutes) that works for you.
   1. Gentle stretching for all large muscle groups.
   2. Breathing exercises (e.g., Box breathing). Physiologically, we know that our parasympathetic nervous system is activated when breathing out for longer than breathing in. This enhances the rest-and-digest modes (e.g., serotonin, oxytocin chemical release), facilitating sleep onset. If you wake up during the night (e.g., to go to the toilet), use breathing exercises to help settle your brain when you return to bed.
   3. Meditations
      1. The Waking Up app offers a 30-day free trial. It includes an introductory course that covers the tradition of meditation, different types, and their benefits. There are also plenty of curated meditations of various lengths to try.
      2. The Calm app offers a 14-day free trial. It features various meditations to help improve sleep quality and quantity.
5. Sound
   1. Noise, such as white noise, provides a constant background that serves as a distraction.
   2. Binaural beats. Preliminary research indicates benefits, and many free options are available online. Recommended frequencies: 1. Theta (4-7 Hz): Linked to relaxation, meditation, and REM sleep. 2. Alpha (7-13 Hz): Encourages relaxation and calmness.

Q5. Are there any tools or props (such as heat packs or foam rollers) you recommend using before bed?

A warm shower 30 to 60 minutes before bed stimulates peripheral circulation to radiate post-shower heat, which draws heat from our core organs. The body requires a drop in core temperature of 1 to 2 degrees to initiate sleep, and drawing heat from the core to the periphery helps achieve this important sleep driver.

A warm milk drink provides a comforting drink and an ideal balance of carbohydrates and proteins to minimise hunger.

Research is also pointing toward there being supportive and provocative sleep postures that can influence sleep quality and quantity. (Take the 14 Night Sleep Posture Challenge)

Q7. What is the recommended time people set their alarm clock for in the morning to achieve a consistent sleep routine?

This is an important question. If an alarm is used regularly, it indicates insufficient sleep quality or quantity, which needs to be addressed. Our body sleeps to facilitate growth, recovery, and learning. Not getting enough sleep makes us susceptible to infections, diseases, mental fog, pain, and shortens our lifespan. If an alarm must be set, it should be consistent (i.e., not vary more than 30 minutes from day to day) so that the circadian clock and all associated chemical processes can stabilise.

To help the body develop its natural ‘wake-up’ signal, when the alarm goes off, the following will help:

1. Get out of bed
2. Expose your eyes to direct sunlight (this stops melatonin production and stimulates phase advancement). Optical glasses are okay as they focus light onto your retina, not through glazed windows or car windows.
3. Partake in exercise (this stimulates cortisol production and a rise in body temperature)
4. Consider a cool shower (this stimulates cortisol production and a rise in body temperature)
5. Eat food (this raises body temperature, part of the natural cycle).

Developing a circadian rhythm is a 24-hour process. There are some ideal things to do in the morning and some essential considerations in the evening. One is to avoid bright light, placed high in the field of view, in the evening (this stops melatonin production and stimulates phase delay).

Fieldwork research demonstrated that after a week of this routine, in combination with sufficient sleep, the body’s natural circadian rhythm will adjust to an earlier wake time, and the artificial alarm will be required less and less. 

What is the most common question that you are asked concerning improving sleep?