Walk with me! Walking for better sleep

DAY 3: WALK WITH ME series: walking for better sleep.

Today is day 3 in these free series of “WALK WITH ME” and the topic of today is how walking more can help you sleep better at night.

During these challenging times of the Corona-virus threat I would like to invite you to go on a daily walk with me to stay healthy and positive. If you are still allowed to go outside then do so! If not you can walk with me on a threadmill of in place in front of your TV watching your favourite show. If you have a stationary bike that is fine also. As long as I can get you moving.

As long as necessary I will keep encouraging you to walk with me cause walking has sooo many benefits. Everyday I will motivate you by sharing one of these benefits to inspire you to walk with me. Follow me on facebook @takeyoutimeblog and instagram @takeyoutimeblog (or click the icons above) and let me help you to stay healthy, fit and positive during times of Corona.

If you are looking for ways to improve sleep then I can give you another motivating reason why walking can also help you with that.

Studies show that scheduling even moderate exercise in your day, like walking, helps adults with chronic insomnia fall asleep faster, makes them sleep deeper and even sleep longer.

But even if you think your sleep is already okay, moving more during the day will even work for you and will improve sleep quality making you wake-up even fresher then usual. Sleeping better also boosts your immunity system, which is hot topic these days when facing the upheaval around the corona-virus.

How does walking improve sleep?

But how exactly does walking improve sleep? There are several potential explanations:

1. Boosts sleep hormone: being exposed to natural light by walking outside especially in the morning hours when the sun is rising, helps to train a strong circadian rhythm, which promotes healthy sleep. The daylight also promotes the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which is crucial for a good night’s rest.
2. Stress reduction: we all know by now that exercise is associated with stress reduction and that it improves physical well-being, both will benefit your sleep quality. If you are feeling more relaxed you will sleep better.
3. Better breathing: Walking is considered an aerobic exercise and works your heart and lungs improving oxygen levels in your body. While walking at a moderate to vigorous pace you will breath in deeper and when exhaling you are also cleansing your system. When you improve your breathing through exercising you are also improving breathing when sleeping, one of the possible causes of poor sleep, for example in sleep apnea. You can also check out my other article on how breathing helps healthy hair growth.
4. Weight reduction: if you are overweight chances are that you will not sleep very well. Walking helps you to lose weight and this will result in better sleep.
5. Reduction of high blood pressure: lowering dangerous levels of high blood pressure will improve healthy and restoring sleep

To conclude I would like to point you all to the fact that sleep is crucial for a healthy and successful life. I can really recommend you to read up on the importance of sleep. One book that really kicks ass is the one written by Arianne Huffington “The sleep revolution”. One of her many inspiring, life transforming books.

Hope I inspired you again to go outside walking today… stay at home, stay healthy, take care of each other. Together we can outsmart the corona-virus. (COVID-19)

So come and take a walk with me. I will see you here again tomorrow for day 3!

Big hug,

Lies Helsloot

P.S. please respect your local or federal laws around social distancing or restrictions around going outside or any other imposed rules. Those rules can save lives! So respect them! Keep your distance!