SLEEP HYGIENE: REGULAR EXERCISE
According to The Oxford Dictionary, hygiene is the principles of maintaining health, such as by cleanliness. There is one part of hygiene which maintains good health at night and promotes sleep. This is ‘sleep hygiene’, and this has become standard terminology among sleep experts. There are five important items that are relevant to sleep hygiene and which are essential for the problem sleeper to consider: Drinks, Bedroom, Clocks, Biological clocks and Regular exercise.
Practising good sleep hygiene is an important alternative to taking sleeping pills.
People who do not work or take any exercise during the day will have too much time on their hands. They will tend to have frequent naps during the day and will not need as much sleep at night. For them there is not much difference between the activities during the day and those at night. These people do not accept the fact that they have already had too much sleep in the day and do not need much more sleep at night. They believe they are suffering from insomnia. A good day is normally a busy active day, so that in the evening you feel tired, as if you have achieved a lot and have earned a good night’s rest Regular exercise will keep your body healthy, keep your muscles strong, your heart and circulation in good shape, and also let off any tension that has accumulated in your body. It has been shown that exercise increases the amount of NREM sleep. However, if strenuous exercise is undertaken too close to sleep time, it may delay sleep onset. Exercise should be finished at least three hours before bedtime. Exercise and activities like aerobics, jogging, tennis, swimming, golf, gardening, and fishing are all very good for health. After all, sleeping well is a sign of good health, and good health starts with good hygiene.
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