Do you spend pending most nights tossing and turning? You’re not alone. According to the American Sleep Association, 50-70 million American adults suffer from a sleep disorder. Fatigue isn’t something to take lightly; not only does it take a toll on your health and ability to function throughout the day, it can also prove to be fatal (especially in cases of drowsy driving).
Getting enough sleep is vital to your wellbeing, and though it may sound strange at first, working on your core could be the answer.
How Do Core Exercises Help You Sleep?
We all know that exercise is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight, but it can also regulate our sleep.
Too much abdominal and back fat can put pressure on your internal organs while sleeping.
Strengthening the muscles in this area will help burn the excess fat, helping our organs function better. A stronger core also leads to a stronger heart, which means that it’s more able to relax while you’re sleeping.
TRX Workouts – How To Strengthen The Whole Body in 30 Minutes
Is it possible to work all the muscles in your body in 30 minutes? Try a training plan, which will help you strengthen your whole body. And moreover, you will enjoy it.
Core exercises are especially effective for healthier sleep, as they strengthen your diaphragm, the muscle that separates your abdomen from your chest. Some researchers think that sleep apnea could be caused by a weak diaphragm.
When you inhale, your diaphragm contracts and flattens. When you exhale, it relaxes and pushes air out of the lungs. If your diaphragm isn’t strong enough, your breathing at night could become too shallow, which leads to more interrupted sleep. Therefore, a strong diaphragm could be just what you need for healthier sleeping patterns.
What Are The Best Core Exercises For Sleep?
Any exercise that works on your core can improve your sleeping patterns. But some core exercises are just more effective than others.
Top 10 Good Ab Exercises To Do At Home
Do we really need to burn the ab muscles or the „six-pack“? Is the look more important than functionality of abdominal muscles? Try these top ten ab exercises. Sit ups strengthen just a few muscle groups, are hard on your back and bad for you.
Crunches are a popular ab and core exercise, they’re actually quite ineffective and potentially dangerous.
Perfecting the form can be tricky, and because of the awkward movements, you could even end up with a back injury. Instead, do exercises that involve stable movements that keep your back straight, such as the plank and bridge.
Bird Dog Core Exercise
Another great core workout is the bird dog, an exercise that strengthens your abs, back, and hips.
Begin with your hands and knees on the floor (directly below your shoulders and hips, respectively). Then, engage your core muscles as you slowly lift your left leg and right arm off the floor and extend them, keeping your hips and shoulders parallel to the floor. Hold this position for a few seconds, then return to your starting position and repeat the movement with the opposite limbs.
TRX Standing roll out
This is an absolute winner from all exercises for abdominal muscles for me.
PS: Don’t have your own TRX at home?
Never mind, you can easily buy it for a great price here.
https://youtu.be/DivdfO0rUbw
When exercised correctly, you will not only join almost all 32 muscles which participate in the function of your core, but you will also exercise breast muscles.
Exercise two or three times a week
On busy days where you can’t seem to find the time to squeeze in a workout, you could just do gentle core exercises a few hours before bedtime. Simple Pilates or yoga stretches can help you wind down and maintain your core strength. (Note that you don’t want to work up a sweat, as doing so could raise your adrenaline and fire up your brain.) Stretching your core muscles at night could also relieve sore abs, making it easier for you to stay asleep at night.
It will take some time for core exercises to improve your sleep patterns. The good news is that you don’t need to work on your core every day — just two or three times a week could get you the results you need. Be patient and consistent, and soon you’ll be sleeping soundly once again.