Exercise Can Help You Sleep Better At Night

Do you have trouble falling asleep at night? It might be a good time to lace up your running shoes and get your heart rate climbing.

With every step she takes, Roberta Price is on her way to a better night of sleep.

"I walk probably like, two and a half miles a day, and if I work out on the machine, I'll do one hour on the treadmill. And I enjoy that and I feel good about that," Price said.

But getting a good night's rest wasn't always so easy for Price.

"That was very frustrating for me, because you would wake up in the morning tired. You would go to bed tired, and you would never get any rest and couldn't understand why," She said.

She's feeling "much better" ever since she participated in a 16-week study with medical experts from Northwestern University.

Dr. Phyllis Zee led the study, which found that regular moderate exercise improves sleep quality for adults 55 and older.

"We saw a significant difference in the sleep quality. We saw a big difference in their mood. There were less depressive symptoms in the group that had the exercise," Zee said.

And she says they were not sleepy during the day. So to improve your sleep, Zee said you should work out for 40 minutes, at least three to four times a week. And timing is important too; late afternoon is best.

And that's exactly what Roberta did and walking at a brisk pace has been perfect for her. Dr. Zee said the workout does not have to be high-intensity.

"(Price) has continued to exercise even after the end of the study where no one was monitoring her," Zee said. "And her sleep has remained good."

Price said feels better than ever and she said that anyone can improve their sleep quality.

"I feel a lot better, a lot better," she said.

With the days getting shorter, Zee said it's very important to make the effort to get outside and get some bright light during the day if you can.