The Best Exercise for Sleep After 50—No Gym or Fancy Equipment Needed

If you’re over 50 and staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m.—again—you’re in very good company. Somewhere along the way, the deep, restorative sleep you used to take for granted seems to have packed a bag and left town. Maybe you fall asleep just fine, but then you’re wide awake in the middle of the night. Or you sleep straight through and still wake up feeling like you barely closed your eyes. Odds are you’ve heard that regular exercise delivers big health benefits, including better rest. But what’s the best exercise for sleep? A new study reveals the surprising answer.

Why we struggle with poor sleep quality after 50

Midlife sleep is complicated, and it’s not your imagination. Shifting hormones, hot flashes, achy joints, a busier-than-ever mental to-do list and the general weight of caring for everyone around you all conspire to negatively affect your sleep health. 

And skimping on sleep isn’t just annoying—it matters more than we sometimes give it credit for. Solid, deep sleep is when your body repairs itself, your brain files away memories, your immune system recharges and your mood resets. Night after night of tossing and turning or difficulty falling asleep can chip away at your energy, your blood sugar and even your patience with the grandkids.

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Wellness

9 Sleep Hygiene Tips Helping Women Over 50 Finally Sleep Deeply

If a full night’s rest feels harder to come by these days, you’re not imagining it. For so many of us over 50, the deep, easy sleep of our younger years has slipped away—and hormones deserve much of the blame. The good news? A handful of small, doable habits can dramatically improve what’s known as […]

The best exercise for sleep, according to science

A research review of about 2,000 older adults with insomnia found that all types of exercise can help with sleep quality. Walking helps. Yoga helps. Cycling helps. But one exercise regimen stood out above the rest: strength training.

Researchers believe the intensity of muscle-building moves triggers more of the biochemical responses that help send you off to dreamland—think regulated stress hormones, better blood sugar control and the kind of physical tiredness that actually earns you a good night’s rest.

A beginner-friendly exercise routine to improve your sleep

If the words “strength training” make you picture a sweaty gym full of grunting 20-somethings, take a breath. You don’t need any of that to fall asleep faster or help improve your total sleep time. A set of inexpensive resistance bands—the stretchy loops or long strips you can tuck into a drawer—is all you need to start.

Try this beginner-friendly routine two or three times a week to help strengthen your muscles and improve your sleep:

• Seated rows: While seated comfortably on the floor, loop a band around your feet, hold the ends and pull toward your waist. Complete 10 to 12 reps.
• Chest press: While seated in a sturdy chair, loop an open-ended resistance band behind the back of the chair or your upper back. Press forward with both arms. Complete 10 to 12 reps. (Need a visual guide? Check out this quick video.)
• Squats: Stand on the band with feet hip-width apart, hold the handles at your shoulders and lower into a gentle squat. Complete 8 to 10 reps.
• Bicep curls: Stand on the band and curl the handles up toward your shoulders. Complete 10 to 12 reps.

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Aim for 15 to 20 minutes total. If a move feels like too much, shorten your range or use a lighter band. If it feels too easy, add a rep or step a little closer to the anchor point for more resistance. Get more simple strength training moves here.

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5 Sleep Tricks That Really Work + the Genius Comforter Hack for 3 AM Wake-Ups

By now, we’ve all heard the usual sleep hygiene tips: Go to bed at the same time every day, cut back on blue light from TVs and other electronic devices close to bedtime and avoid alcohol and caffeine in the evening. But if you’re still sleepless despite these strategies, take heart: We asked experts to […]

Give it a few weeks

Here’s the thing about building a new habit: You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be consistent enough. Two or three short sessions a week is a beautifully doable place to start—and it’s exactly what the research points to as the best exercise for sleep in the years after 50. Give it a few weeks and you may just notice your Zzzs starting to improve. 

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