At the 2015 American Sleep Association Annual Meeting (SLEEP 2015), a recent study (which included about 430,000 adults) showed that walking, aerobics/calisthenics, cycling, gardening, golf, weight lifting, and yoga/Pilates are types of exercise that are more beneficial for sleep. In contrast, exercise like housework and childcare can lead to poorer sleep. Study leader Michael Grandner, a lecturer in psychiatry and sleep researcher from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, explained: If your physical activity comes primarily from doing housework and caring for children, there is stress and time demands that can lead to poorer sleep. So, patients often tell Dr. Weil, “I’m moving all day, doing housework and taking care of the kids, doesn’t this count as exercise?” I said, “Yes, but these exercises do not help with sleep. It’s better to take some time to relax and exercise without stress, and preferably aerobically, with slight sweating and a slightly increased heart rate, in order to help you sleep. Three times a week, thirty minutes each time is OK.” This study shows that what type of exercise you do is important, but it’s better to do it than not to do it. Backing off and doing chores with the kids is again better than lying in bed all day doing nothing. The incidence of short sleepers is lower in people who exercise than in those who don’t; individuals who exercise are more likely to achieve the recommended amount of sleep. If you want to have quality sleep, it’s better to get more exercise! It’s a great time to exercise in the spring!