Are you stressed out by work or study at the end of the year? Scientific exercise can help you get a good night's sleep!

In the fast-paced life of modern society, insomnia has become a problem that many people cannot get rid of. Long-term insomnia not only affects a person's mental state and work efficiency, but may also lead to serious health problems. However, what you may not know is that scientific exercise is one of the effective ways to solve this problem.

Xiaolin (pseudonym) is a young programmer who often works overtime and stays up late. As the Spring Festival approaches, she has a lot of work to do and always works overtime until late at night. Xiaolin gradually finds it difficult to fall asleep. Even if she manages to fall asleep, she wakes up easily. She is exhausted during the day, her concentration is poor, and her work efficiency plummets.

What bothered him even more was that long-term lack of sleep caused dark circles and spots to creep onto his fair face, making him look more than ten years older than his actual age. So Xiao Lin went to the sleep disorder and neurosis clinic of Hunan Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital) for medical treatment. Deputy Chief Physician Chen Jinhong diagnosed that Xiao Lin's current condition might be related to insomnia caused by staying up late.

Juanjuan (pseudonym) has been the apple of her parents' eyes since she was a child. She is a senior high school student and carries her parents' expectations of her becoming a successful woman. She is introverted and faces the invisible pressure of the college entrance examination and heavy schoolwork. Her grades have failed repeatedly, her mood has also fallen to the bottom, and insomnia has followed.

Her parents initially thought it was just a manifestation of teenage rebellion, but as time went on, her condition did not improve, but instead fell into deeper trouble. After an evaluation by Chen Jinhong, deputy director and associate chief physician of the Sleep Disorders and Neurosis Department of the Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province (Provincial Brain Hospital) , she was diagnosed with insomnia and depression.

Regarding Xiaolin and Juanjuan’s situations, Dr. Chen Jinhong suggested that in addition to receiving standardized treatment, they also need to increase exercise to improve sleep and mood.

So, Juanjuan began to try running, yoga, badminton and other sports every day. Xiaolin squeezed out time to ride a bicycle for 1 hour every day. These exercises not only helped them relax their bodies and minds, but also gradually improved their sleep quality. With the joint efforts of their family members and doctors, their negative emotions and insomnia symptoms gradually eased, and their mood became much more cheerful. Their situation is not a special case. Dr. Chen Jinhong introduced that the role of scientific exercise in improving insomnia has been widely studied and confirmed. Its mechanism of action is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

1. Regulate the biological clock: Regular exercise helps regulate the body's biological clock, making it easier for the body to adapt to a regular schedule. Exercise can increase body temperature, promote body temperature rise, and thus help sleep.

2. Promote hormone secretion: Exercise can produce neurotransmitters such as endorphins, which have analgesic and antidepressant effects, can improve mood and reduce stress. Endorphins can also produce hypnotic effects, helping people fall asleep faster.

3. Relieve stress: Exercise can help people release their inner stress and anxiety, making them feel relaxed and happy. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, reduce awakenings from dreams, and thus alleviate insomnia symptoms.

4. Improve physical condition: Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running, swimming, etc., can increase the body's metabolic rate, promote blood circulation, and enhance cardiopulmonary function. These all help improve sleep quality, making people more energetic during the day and easier to fall asleep at night.

For those who want to adjust insomnia, scientific exercise is a good method. Dr. Chen Jinhong recommends the following sports and methods:

1. Aerobic exercise: Perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, running, swimming, etc. These exercises help increase the body's metabolic rate and promote blood circulation, thereby improving sleep quality.

2. Yoga: Yoga is a form of exercise that combines breathing exercises, body stretching and meditation. By practicing yoga, people can relax their body and mind, reduce stress, and thus improve sleep quality.

3. Strength training: Perform strength training at least twice a week, such as weightlifting, push-ups, etc. Strength training can enhance muscle strength, increase the body's metabolic rate, and help improve sleep quality.

4. Tai Chi: Tai Chi is a slow, gentle form of exercise that relaxes the body and mind through breathing exercises, body stretching, and fluid movements. Tai Chi helps regulate the body clock and improve sleep quality.

5. Avoid strenuous exercise before bedtime: Although exercise can help improve sleep, strenuous exercise before bedtime may overexcite the brain and make it difficult to fall asleep. Therefore, it is recommended to exercise in the morning or afternoon.

Scientific exercise is one of the effective ways to improve insomnia. By choosing appropriate sports and arranging exercise time reasonably, you can gradually improve your sleep quality and restore your physical and mental health.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Tan Zhaojun, Department of Sleep Disorders and Neurosis, Hunan Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital)

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(Edited by Wx)