31 May Exercise early in day leads to better sleep

Any exercise is good for you, but according to a recent study at Appalachain State University the best exercise is when you do it early in the morning.
In a study led by Dr. Scott Collier, PhD, participants exercised three times a week for 30 minutes, three times a week by running on a treadmill.
They ran at 7 a.m., 1 p.m. and then 7 p.m.
The study found that when people ran early in the morning they had better night sleeps, experiencing “deep sleep” up to 75 percent longer than when they exercised in the afternoon or night.
Getting proper deep sleep, the reparative third and fourth stages of the five-stage sleep cycle, is extremely important.
“When you spend more time in deep sleep, your body is able to repair itself more efficiently,” Collier said. “It also helps you maintain your weight, cope with stress and feel better about yourself.”
If you’re not able to work out first thing in the morning, don’t worry.
This study suggests it’s better to exercise as early as the day as you can, but common sense tells me working out in mid-day or early evening is still a lot better for you than not doing anything at all.

At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com