Exercise and sleep: how physical activity helps you sleep

Updated November 14, 2026 Six Habits Editorial Team

The short answerRegular physical activity improves sleep. A meta-analysis of 66 studies found that regular exercise has small positive effects on total sleep time and sleep efficiency and a moderate effect on sleep quality. Even a single workout slightly improves sleep the following night.

Key points

Regular exercise has small effects on sleep duration and efficiency.
Sleep quality improves moderately.
A single exercise session also helps a little.
Intense workouts late in the evening keep some people awake.

What the research shows

A meta-analysis of 66 studies found that a single bout of exercise had small benefits for total sleep time, time to fall asleep, sleep efficiency and deep sleep, while regular exercise had small benefits for total sleep time and sleep efficiency and moderate benefits for overall sleep quality (Kredlow et al., 2015).

Exercise is one part of good sleep hygiene, alongside a regular schedule, limiting caffeine and alcohol and a dark, quiet bedroom (Irish et al., 2015). For chronic insomnia, the first-line treatment remains cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (Trauer et al., 2015).

In practice

Aim for regular activity most days of the week.
Get outdoor activity in the morning or during the day for the added benefit of daylight.
If evening workouts keep you awake, finish intense exercise at least 1 to 2 hours before bed.

Frequently asked questions

Is it OK to exercise in the evening?

For most people, yes. Moderate evening exercise does not harm sleep, but very intense workouts within an hour of bedtime may delay sleep for some.

Which exercise is best for sleep?

Both aerobic exercise and resistance training help. Consistency matters more than type.

Sources

Kredlow et al. (2015). The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 38(3):427-449. doi:10.1007/s10865-015-9617-6
Irish et al. (2015). The role of sleep hygiene in promoting public health: A review of empirical evidence. Sleep Medicine Reviews 22:23-36. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2014.10.001
Trauer et al. (2015). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Insomnia. Annals of Internal Medicine 163(3):191-204. doi:10.7326/M14-2841

Prepared according to our evidence methodology and the principles of lifestyle medicine. For education only; it does not replace advice from your doctor.