Latest news with #GregElder
BreakingNews.ie
20-07-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
What kind of exercise can help improve your sleep?
People with insomnia often endure long, uncomfortable nights without rest, but new research indicates that specific forms of exercise may offer relief. A team of researchers in China reviewed 22 clinical trials involving 1,348 participants and assessed how 13 different methods impacted sleep, including seven types of exercise: yoga, Tai chi, walking or jogging, combined aerobic and strength training, strength training alone, aerobic exercise paired with therapy, and various aerobic routines. Advertisement Published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, the study found that yoga was particularly effective, increasing total sleep time by nearly two hours and reducing the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by almost an hour. This research highlights the powerful link between physical activity and sleep quality. However, it also raises an important question: how exactly does exercise prepare the body and brain for sleep – and which types of exercise are most effective in doing so? Brain 'Exercise can have a direct impact on our brain activity during sleep, including an increase in slow-wave sleep (the stage of sleep that is restorative) and increases our total sleep time,' explains Dr Greg Elder , associate director of Northumbria Sleep Research at Northumbria University. 'This means that we have better sleep for longer.' Hormones 'Exercise can also affect relevant hormones,' says Elder. 'For example, exercise can affect our melatonin levels, which is a hormone involved in sleep-wake regulation, as well as cortisol levels, which is a stress hormone.' Advertisement Mood Exercising outdoors will help boost your mood (Alamy/PA) 'Exercise is also beneficial for our mood, and mood is closely linked with sleep. Bad sleep is usually associated with mood disorders,' notes Elder. 'If we exercise outside and go for a morning run or cycle, for example, then we are typically exposed to bright, outdoor light which in itself is a good thing for our sleep.' If you are struggling with sleep, here are four types of exercises to try… 1. Aerobic exercise like cycling or running Cycling or running can help ease anxiety and improve mood (Alamy/PA) 'Aerobic exercises that increase your heart and breathing rates can make falling asleep easier by lowering your blood pressure and reducing stress,' says Dr Hana Patel, resident sleep expert at Time4Sleep . 'For example, running and cycling are perfect for tackling any anxiety that is keeping you up at night.' Luke Cousins, health and wellbeing physiologist at Nuffield Health agrees and adds: ''It's important to remember though that timings of when you workout is equally important to consider, because exercise can also cause a spike in adrenaline, which keeps your body in an alert state. Advertisement 'For maximum benefit, try to get your exercise about five to six hours before trying to sleep but no later than two hours before bed.' 2. Strength training Strength training can be beneficial (Alamy/PA) Try lifting some weights in the gym or workout using some resistance bands in the comfort of your own home. 'A mix of aerobic exercise and strength training can be beneficial, like lifting weights and using resistance bands,' says Patel. 'But remember to only do what feels comfortable and gradually increase the difficulty as you progress.' 3. Yoga Deep breathing and yoga have a plethora of benefits (Alamy/PA) Slow down and take time to stretch and breathe before bed. Advertisement 'Yoga is also great for improving mindfulness and reducing stress, helping our bodies relax and reducing tension,' says Patel. 'Deep breathing techniques can help to improve sleep quality and relax the nervous system, allowing us to properly unwind before bed.' Elder agrees and adds: 'I would suggest avoiding any activity or exercise that is likely to cause you to be mentally stressed when you go to bed because that is more likely to be an issue, because stress is very bad for our sleep.' 4. Walking Vitamin D and fresh air do wonders for the body and mind (Alamy/PA) A brisk walk in the fresh air can help lower stress and anxiety that might be keeping you up at night. 'Walking is suitable for all fitness levels and can be a huge mood booster as it helps to lower cortisol levels, something which can also impact our sleep quality and our energy levels,' says Samuel Quinn, personal training lead at Nuffield Health. 'If we're walking outdoors – and hopefully away from a screen – this can also help reduce anxiety.' Advertisement
BreakingNews.ie
16-06-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
How humidity affects your sleep – and what to do about it
If you have been struggling to fall asleep over the past few nights, tossing and turning in bed, you're not alone. While many of us enjoy the gorgeous sunny days, the muggy evenings are a different story… and not nearly as pleasant. Advertisement To better understand why these humid nights can severely disrupt our sleep, we spoke with Dr Greg Elder , associate director of Northumbria Sleep Research at Northumbria University. He has shed some light on how humidity can impact our sleep quality and patterns, and has also shared some useful tips to help you get a better night's rest. How does humidity impact quality of sleep? High humidity levels makes the air temperature feel hotter (Alamy/PA) 'We don't know a lot about how humidity alone can affect our sleep, but we do know that humidity affects how we perceive temperature,' says Elder. 'As humidity levels increase, the air temperature will feels hotter. 'Sleep and temperature regulation are very closely related – so the hotter it feels, the worse our sleep tends to be, and this is worse when we can't properly acclimatise to it. For example, when a heatwave happens.' Can humidity affect our circadian rhythms directly? 'Yes. How much sleep we get, and the quality of it, is affected by the interaction between our sleep need and our body clock (our circadian rhythms),' says Elder. 'Humidity affects our sleep and circadian rhythms directly by affecting how hot we feel. Advertisement 'Our body temperature has its own circadian rhythm. Normally our body begins to cool down as we head towards our bed time and this opens our 'sleep window' but hot temperatures can interfere with this. 'Hot temperatures can also directly interfere with our sleep by affecting how much slow-wave sleep we get during the night.' This is important because slow-wave sleep (deep sleep) plays a key role in growth, memory and immune function, according to the Sleep Foundation . What are the common signs that humidity levels might be disturbing your sleep without you realising it? The effects of a bad night's sleep will kick in the next morning (Alamy/PA) 'High temperatures can interfere with our brain activity during sleep, and also the way in which our brain cycles between different stages of sleep (light sleep, deep sleep and rapid eye movement sleep, which is the stage of sleep where we typically dream), so it is possible that high temperatures and humidity could be bad for our sleep without us realising,' explains Elder. 'However, normally when we have a bad night of sleep, the effects will kick in when we get up the next morning. Sleep deprivation makes us feel tired and irritable, and it may be harder to concentrate and make decisions as normal.' Advertisement How does high humidity contribute to issues like night sweating or restlessness during sleep? 'As the humidity increases, this makes it harder for our body to sweat normally,' says Elder. 'This means that during hot periods, especially when there is high humidity, our sweat can't evaporate as normal, and it is harder for the body to cool itself. 'This is bad for our sleep and can make us feel restless if we can't get to sleep because of that.' Here are some of his suggestions on how to combat the humidity to achieve blissful sleep this summer… Aim to keep your bedroom temperature near 19°C 'Keep your bedroom at as close to 19°C as possible,' advises Elder. 'Bedroom temperatures that are over 25°C are bad for sleep. Electric fans can help.' Advertisement Make sure your bedroom is dark Make sure that the room is dark and cool before you jump into bed (Alamy/PA) Invest in some blackout curtains and blinds if you find that the evening light is creeping in and disturbing your ability to fall asleep. 'Keep your bedroom as cool and dark as possible and avoid sleeping anywhere else other than your bed,' recommends Elder. Get up if you can't sleep If you're lying awake for hours, get out of bed and do something calming, like reading a book. 'Avoid staying awake in your bed if you can't sleep. Get up if you can and only go back to bed when you feel sleepy,' advises Elder. Advertisement Stay hydrated throughout the day Hydration is key (Alamy/PA) 'Drink plenty of water during the day because this will help your body to keep itself cool at night,' recommends Elder. Have a cool shower before bed 'Before going to bed, a cool or lukewarm shower, or foot bath, can be a good way to help your body to relax and tell it that it is time for sleep,' says Elder. Keep to a regular sleep wake schedule 'Try to keep to your usual sleep and wake schedule – regular sleep timing tends to be associated with better sleep quality,' advises Elder.
The Independent
13-06-2025
- Health
- The Independent
This is how to get a good night's sleep in the heat
High humidity affects sleep quality by making the air feel hotter, interfering with the body 's temperature regulation and circadian rhythms, according to Dr. Greg Elder from Northumbria University. Increased humidity prevents sweat from evaporating, making it harder for the body to cool down, which can lead to restlessness and poor sleep. Dr. Elder advises keeping the bedroom temperature near 19°C (66°F), using electric fans, and ensuring the room is dark with blackout curtains to improve sleep quality. If unable to sleep, Dr. Elder suggests getting out of bed to do a calming activity and only returning when feeling sleepy, as well as maintaining a regular sleep schedule. To combat humidity's effects, Dr. Elder recommends staying hydrated, taking a cool shower before bed, and keeping the bedroom cool and dark.
