Walk This Morning to Sleep Better Tonight

Walk This Morning to Sleep Better Tonight (1:15)

If you want to sleep better at night, take a walk first thing in the morning. In this Health Smarts video, fitness expert Vonda Wright, MD, explains how walking and other cardio activities help you sleep more deeply.

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Hi, I'm Dr. Vonda Wright here with a smart tip to help you sleep better tonight. Lace up your sneakers and take a walk this morning, all exercise helps you sleep as long as it's at least three hours before bed time. But brain scans show that exercising around 7 A.M. helps you spend 75% more time in deep sleep than later day workouts do, and morning workouts help you cycle through all four sleep stages more often.

That's great for your energy and memory. Early morning walkers also are much more likely to stick with their routine and catch fewer colds, plus your body likes morning aerobics. Your core is cooler then which makes cardio activities feel easier, just be sure to start with five minutes of slower walking to warm up your muscles before hitting your strides.

I'm Dr. Vonda Wright. For more tips to shape up and sleep well, watch all of our smart tips, right here.