Play store
Regular exercise, even for just 10 minutes a day, may be associated with better sleep, improved mood and higher energy levels, according to a study by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin.
Published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health, the study examined physical activity and sleep data collected over several months from university students wearing Fitbit devices.
Unlike previous research that focused primarily on the total amount of exercise, the researchers investigated whether exercising more frequently throughout the week was associated with better sleep than concentrating workouts into one or two days.
The findings suggest that consistency may play an important role in sleep health.
“We wanted to know whether it matters if someone spreads out their exercise over the week versus doing it all at once, like a ‘weekend warrior’,” said Benjamin Baird, a research assistant professor of psychology at UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts. “And for sleep health, frequency does seem to matter.”
Participants who exercised more frequently tended to spend more time in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, which includes deep sleep essential for physical recovery and brain function.
The researchers also found that as little as 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day was associated with better sleep among the young adults studied.
Such activity does not necessarily require strenuous workouts. It can involve movement that increases breathing while still allowing a person to hold a conversation.
Regular walking and taking breaks from prolonged sitting to stand were also associated with healthier sleep patterns and improved mood the following day.
Chris Corral, who co-led the study after completing a master’s degree in health behaviour and health education at UT Austin, highlighted the importance of deep sleep for recovery.
“Better sleep means better brain health and potentially lower risks of chronic disease and depression,” Corral said.
The study also found that participants who exercised more regularly tended to report greater energy and less stress the following day. More non-REM sleep was associated with better next-day mood and energy, Baird said.
The researchers used wearable devices to monitor participants in their everyday environments, allowing them to examine relationships between physical activity, sleep and mood over an extended period rather than relying solely on short-term laboratory observations.
However, the study established associations rather than cause and effect. It does not prove that exercising more frequently directly improves sleep.
The findings nevertheless suggest that incorporating regular movement into daily routines may be a practical approach to supporting sleep health and overall well-being.