Sleep and Exercise Effectiveness

Introduction

The assignment focuses on sleep and exercise. Regular physical activities are good for the body and well-being of people. One may not be sure of engaging in physical activities for fear of getting hurt. The good news is that physical activities are however safe when done well. Sleep has been regarded as a ‘passive activity’, but adequate sleep is vital for human well-being, prevention and management of ill health.

Exercise

Physical activities are vital for preventing aging and degenerative diseases. Certain exercises, for instance, provide significant improvements in pain and functional ability for aged people with degenerative joint conditions. ¹ Further, regular exercise can reduce risks of diabetes, age-related morbidity in older adults and enhance glycémie control and insulin sensitivity. ² On this note, it is vital for people to increase their physical activities. Enhanced physical activities will result in active body, improve muscle compliance and energy metabolism. ³ However, it is recommended to build slowly and train consistently to reduce chances of injury.

Individuals should choose appropriate physical activities to avoiding injuries while exercising. Generally, healthy individuals can engage in any form of exercise. However, people with certain conditions should choose appropriate physical activities based on their medical conditions or experts’ recommendations to avoid injuries. Strenuous exercise may create small microscopic tears in the affected muscle tissue, ⁴ joint pains, torn muscles, as well as bone fractures that occur during exercise activities. ⁵ Therefore, training slowly and consistently to avoid injuries during exercise is important. ⁴

Several components of exercise regiment exist for physical activities. First, stretches are necessary as full body exercises to enhance muscle control, overall strength and stability. ⁶ They include hamstrings, calves, ankles, triceps and wrist stretches. One can perform stretches to gain freedom for movement of the body to engage in activities that are more strenuous. Plyometric exercises improve stretching through rapid stretches and contractions of muscles. Such exercises improve joint stability. Stretches and dynamic warm-ups are movements that loosen tight muscles, enhance blood flow and stimulate the nervous system.

Stretches are good for reducing possible injuries during intense training. Second, strength training involves preparing the body for physical activities beforehand. ⁶ Apart from gym training to build muscles, other strength exercises include squats, pushups, dips and abdominal crunches among others. Conducting preventive maintenance training is necessary to achieve body strength. Third, core exercises such as Kegel exercise, superman, clam, and push up should build “strong core muscles between hips and shoulders”. ⁷ Such exercises should involve several muscles across different joints and work together to enhance body stability.

That is, core muscles should relax and contract together to create stability. Body weight exercises are effective for building core muscles. Finally, cardiovascular exercises such as jogging, swimming, cycling, skipping and weight lifting among others enhance cardiovascular health. Such exercises should be routine and optimum for maximum benefits. ⁸

Different types of physical activities exist to healthy body. Power walking is an aerobic workout that involves speed blasts and slow recovery breaks to offer adequate intensity for improving cardiorespiratory fitness. ⁹ Although power walking is effective for burning calories quickly and enhancing muscle strengths, it is associated with certain muscles injuries particularly when done poorly through exaggerated strides. Jogging or running involves running at a restrained speed for a given distance outside or on a treadmill.

As an aerobic exercise, jogging is a fundamental means of burning more calories, improving health of the heart and enhancing density of bones. Jogging, however, is not for everyone. It may cause injuries and chronic pains. ⁵ Weight training such as biceps curls, pull-down, lunges and squats among others involves lifting of weight to build muscles. It is an effective method of improving bone density, enhancing the rate of metabolism and reducing muscle shrinkage during aging. Weight training also leads to strong muscles and stability.

Weight training, however, is associated with stress of the musculoskeletal system, which leads to tiny microscopic tears in the affected muscle tissue. ⁴ HIIT-High Intensity Interval Training is based on “short yet intense exercises and then short rest or recovery time”. ⁷ HIIT exercises such cardio workouts, drills and brisk walks improve oxygen consumption and metabolic activities. These outcomes facilitate fat loss for nearly a day after the exercise. HIIT may not be suitable for individuals who cannot endure intense training.

Yoga consists of exercise elements that entail different body postures mainly stretching and strengthening of the musculature and should bring balance to mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of people. ⁹ This form of exercise is suitable for sedentary people.

Although studies have identified positive effects of yoga as similar to aerobic exercises, ¹⁰ different types of yoga exist and it could be difficult to determine the distinct benefits of this form of exercise. Pilates consists of a series of exercises to enhance physical and mental well-being. It develops core stability, body strength and flexibility through movement, posture and breathing controls. ¹ Pilates exercises have been used to treat people with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Sleep

The healing powers of sleep depend on its abilities to regulate health. A sleep deficit could result in several health issues, including sleep apnea and insomnia. ¹¹ Studies have shown that sleep can be used to manage conditions of ill health that have been associated with increased cases of stroke, high blood pressure, heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, car accidents and workplace accidents.

Circadian rhythm, cortisol and melatonin are known to influence sleeping pattern of individuals. Circadian rhythm controls the release of melatonin hormone that is responsible for inducing sleep. Conversely, circulating cortisol (high or low levels) could disrupt sleep patterns. Sleeping patterns of sleep and wakefulness depend on activities of thalamus and cerebral cortex in the brain system. Sleep has a restorative impact on the brain and it is controlled by both homeostatic and circadian needs. ¹²

Insomnia is “a lack of enough sleep due to sleep problems”. ¹³ Many people get less sleep and are prone to insomnia. The condition can just affect anyone, but is generally “more common in women than men are, and it advances with age”. ¹³ It is difficult to define normal sleep, but healthy individuals sleep for an average of seven to nine hours. Sleep, however, depends on age, environments, lifestyle and diets.

Insomnia is associated with difficulties in sleeping and signs vary from one person to another. Causes of insomnia may differ but are usually worrying, stress, underlying physical conditions, menopause, drug abuse, obstructive sleep apnea, certain medications and restless legs syndrome. Treatments for insomnia are available, including over-the-counter drugs and natural remedies. Insomnia could also indicate other serious health issues and patients should consult their doctors about sleep patterns and recommended treatments.

There are tips for getting a good night’s sleep. For instance, bedtime routine helps individuals to develop healthy, regular sleeping habits. Established activities before bedtime can assist in creating ease of sleep. Moreover, they create favorable conditions for sleeping. For effective sleep, it is vital to avoid certain habits. For instance, it is normally recommended to avoid alcohol and stimulants such caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. One can engage in several ways to wind down before bedtime. These may include a warm bath, relaxation exercise or avoiding naps during the day.

One can optimize a sleep environment by making it comfortable, not too hot, noisy, cold or bright. At the same time, there are recommended hours to sleep and catch up sleep. Many healthy people sleep for an average of seven to nine hours every night. Sleep, however, becomes difficult to maintain as age progresses. Nevertheless, the same amount of sleeping time is always recommended.

In case of sleep challenges, however, natural sleep remedies are available for patients. Herbal remedies, for instance, act as alternative treatments for persons with sleep challenges. Relaxation exercises can also act as natural remedies for sleep problems. They work by helping muscles to relax before bedtime. However, extensive exercises are not encouraged. Individuals with insomnia are also advised to avoid daytime naps and create a routine or fixed time for going to bed and waking up. Such persons should not engage in sleeping in to recover for lost sleep at night.

Conclusion

The essay has explored fundamental concepts of exercise and sleep and well-being. Regular physical exercises are needed for healthy body. However, one must be careful when choosing desired exercises to avoid potential injuries or over-exercising. A good night sleep is required for an individual’s well-being. Sleep problems, however, have resulted in difficulties in sleeping, which require both medications and natural remedies.

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