Sleep or Exercise: Which is more important?

A good night’s rest is just as important as exercise

Trying to balance both, exercise and sleep, seems impossible. Between jobs, children, chores, a social life and just life in general, there just aren’t enough hours in a day to get it all in. 

We’ve all been here at some point in our lives- setting our morning alarm to get in a good workout before your day starts, only to snooze the alarm and go back to sleep or go jogging half asleep and not enjoy the endorphin party in your body because you can barely keep your eyes open. 

Which is worse? Skipping your workout, or losing that hour of sleep?

The tug of war between waking early to hit the gym or getting enough sleep is never ending.  We all know that exercising regularly and sleeping for at least seven hours every night is vital for us to function properly. But just like anything in life there is a give and take. 

So which one should we sacrifice? 

Read more to find out — 

This forces you to ask the question —

which is the best choice, physical activity or a good night’s sleep? 

Exercise and sleep are equally important for your health and one shouldn’t be sacrificed for the other. Everyone has different preferences so the key is to find out what works best for you and your lifestyle. It’s completely normal to feel tired and sluggish, and hesitant to go to the gym every once in a while, but not everyday. Taking a rest day might be what your body needs. In the long run, you will see more benefits from the decision to take a rest day than you would if you had forced yourself to go to the gym.

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Eating healthy, staying hydrated, regular exercise and sleeping enough are all very important for your overall wellness. While burning the candle at both ends may seem like the only option, it will definitely do you more harm than good. 

So the question you should really be asking yourself is — 

Which is the best choice for you that day? 

Does your sleep need to be prioritised or your workout?

A mere fifteen to thirty minute workout everyday can help you in so many ways. It reduces stress, enhances your mood, makes you more alert, builds your self esteem, decreases your risk of diabetes and heart disease, helps you burn calories, lose weight and build muscle, the biggest plus is, you release toxins through sweat and no one hates the surge of endorphins a good workout showers you with. 

Getting enough sleep helps improve your mental health, recharges you for a new day, reduces brain fog, boosts your immune system, gives your body time to rest and rejuvenate, improves your overall physical performance, boosts your memory and can even prevent weight gain. 

Exercising and sleeping enough both come with their bag full of benefits so —

when does one outweigh the other?

When should you choose sleep over exercise?

Sleep is important for workouts. Lack of sleep will definitely have an impact on your physical health and performance. Heading to the gym for a strenuous workout on barely any sleep can actually cause more harm than good. Pushing your body when it’s not at its best can weaken your immune system, not to mention, you won’t be performing at your best either. Which defeats the purpose of working out because you can’t reap all its benefits. 

Would you overuse your phone when it’s on 20% battery? 

If you won’t do it to your phone why would you do it to your body? 

If you’re really sleep-deprived, too few hours or poor quality sleep for consecutive nights, you should choose more sleep.

Working out for those Zzzz’s —

Working out can help your mind, body and soul thrive (if you are well rested). There is a certain addiction when it comes to exercising. 

Your body craves that post workout glow and surge of happy hormones and why shouldn’t it? 

But did you know that exercising can also help you sleep better? 

It improves your quality of sleep and can even help decrease insomnia. The effects of aerobic exercise on sleep appear to be similar to those of sleeping pills. 

So what’s the right choice?

Well, the right choice depends on YOU. 

What works for YOU, 

What is going to help YOU. 

What makes YOU feel like the best version of yourself. 

Getting enough sleep and healthy exercising are both supremely important if you want to stay healthy for a long time. 

Whether you want to do your workout in the morning or the evening is really up to you. 

Whether you want to sleep early and rise early or sleep late and wake up late, it all depends on what works best for you. 

But the real danger arises when you only make adequate time for one of them.

So,

The best decision is to listen to your body. 

The best answer is to avoid making the decision at all. 

The answer depends on the situation.

Let’s end this with a little piece of advice —

Form better habits, it’s not too late. You have to want to change your behaviour and adopt lifestyle patterns that promote health.

Physical activity and sleep are different biological states; they are both hugely important for health, so don’t try to choose between these two treasured lifestyle facets. Sacrifice other things in order to make time for both exercise and sleep. 

Making the questions to ask yourself —

Should I watch the idiot box to unwind or exercise?

Should I surf the net and get so engrossed, that I cut into my sleep time?

Make informed choices on a daily basis.