Experts: Not all workouts conducive to quality sleep
Not all workouts are created equal when it comes to bedtime, with researchers suggesting that high-intensity cardio may rob you of quality sleep, whereas weight training could actually help you drift off easier.
Researchers trying to solve the mysteries of a good night’s rest made the discovery as part of an ongoing three-year project by the University of Tsukuba and Alinamin Pharmaceutical Co. to examine the relationship between fatigue and sleep.
They hope their study will provide a scientific explanation for why athletes who engage in intense cardio exercise, such as marathons, are known to have difficulty getting quality sleep.
The research team plans to investigate whether fursultiamine, a vitamin B1 derivative, can ease fatigue and improve sleep quality in men in their 20s.
“If the effectiveness is proven, it would be a first,” said Masashi Yanagisawa, director of the university’s institute specializing in sleep medicine.
The study found that both high-intensity cardio exercises and high-intensity resistance training disturbed the autonomic nervous system. However, while the former resulted in shorter sleep duration, the latter improved sleep quality.
Tomohiro Okura, one of the researchers at Tsukuba, said the results may differ if women or people from other age groups are included.
