A new study has revealed that lifting weights can be an effective way for older people to beat insomnia. The research found that strength or resistance-style training improved sleep quality more than traditional forms of exercise such as aerobic exercises like brisk walking or Pilates.
The study, which involved 24 clinical trials with over 2,045 patients aged 60 and over, assessed the effects of different types of exercise on insomnia. The results showed that weightlifting was by far the most effective way to cut insomnia, improving sleep quality by an average of 5.75 points on a standard scale.
While traditional aerobic exercises such as cycling or swimming also improved sleep quality, they were found to be less effective than weightlifting. Aerobic exercises improved sleep quality by an average of 3.76 points, while combination exercises improved it by 2.54 points.
The study’s findings suggest that exercise can play a crucial role in improving sleep quality and reducing the risk of insomnia in older age groups. The researchers from Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine in Bangkok concluded that “exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality.”
The benefits of physical activity on mental health are well-documented, with exercise shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve productivity, social connection, and wellbeing. The UK’s trade body for the physical activity sector, ukactive, welcomes the study’s findings and says that “physical activity has a huge role to play in our physical and mental health.”
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14462143/Lifting-weights-helps-older-people-beat-insomnia-research-suggests.html