Health
Improve your sleep with this specific exercise, new study says
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Human biologist and ‘biohacker’ Gary Brecka shows Fox News host Lara Trump the benefits of exercising in a hyperbaric chamber, cold plunges, red light therapy and silver fabric at nighttime on ‘My View with Lara Trump.’
Exercise has proven benefits in all areas of physical and mental health, and that includes sleep quality.
One specific type of exercise — strength training — has been linked to insomnia prevention in older adults, according to a new study.
Researchers analyzed data from 25 randomized trials that measured the effects of physical exercise on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which is a questionnaire that assesses respondents’ sleep quality over a one-month period.
The studies included 2,170 people who were 60 or older.
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Strength training — “exercises that increase muscle strength by making muscles work against a weight or force and using anaerobic metabolism, such as lifting weights, arm curls, wall push-ups and resistance” — were found to have the biggest positive effect on sleep, raising sleep scores by 5.75 points.
One specific type of exercise — strength training — has been linked to insomnia prevention in older adults, according to a new study. (iStock)
In comparison, aerobic (cardio) — such as running, jogging, cycling, dancing, hiking, swimming, gardening and brisk walking — improved sleep scores by 3.76 points.
Combination exercise (a mix of aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility exercises) only boosted scores by 2.54 points.
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“Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality,” the researchers concluded.
Sleep quality has been shown to decline with age, the study noted.
Between 30% and 48% of seniors complain of sleepiness, while 12% to 20% suffer from insomnia.
“Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality.”
Lorna Kleidman, a certified personal trainer and founder of LornaFit in New York, agrees that strength training can improve sleep.
“I’ve seen it firsthand with my midlife female clients, who previously had trouble sleeping because of hormonal changes,” Kleidman, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
The physical exertion helps the body naturally wind down, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep, one expert said. (iStock)
“Resistance training improves insomnia because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm, the sleep/wake cycle,” she went on. “Sleep quality is enhanced by reducing stress hormones and promoting the release of fatigue-inducing adenosine.”
The physical exertion also helps the body naturally wind down, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep, Kleidman added.
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Certified personal trainer Regis Pagett, the founder and owner of R Personal Fitness in New York City, agreed that a 30-minute moderate-intensity strength training workout can show an improvement in sleep that same night.
“Strength training on a regular basis requires your body to need higher quality rest in order to recover,” the expert, who also was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Between 30% and 48% of seniors complain of sleepiness, while 12% to 20% suffer from insomnia. (iStock)
“It helps you to regulate your body temperature, have a better resting heart rate, and to fall into a deeper sleep, faster.”
Improved sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness and lower severity of sleep apnea are all benefits, according to Pagett.
Strength training recommendations
The American Heart Association recommends that adults strive for a minimum of two strength training sessions per week.
“In order to maximize the benefits, I personally recommend that people look to incorporate strength training three to four times a week,” Pagett advised.
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Kleidman recommends completing squats, deadlifts, lunges, pressing, pulling and rotation, with two to three sets of all movements.
“Add a few minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and you’ve got a thorough session for strength, bone health and fat-burning,” she said.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults strive for a minimum of two strength training sessions per week. (iStock)
Strength training becomes more important with age, both experts agreed.
“Resistance training is the first thing women should think of when they plan their workout sessions,” said Kleidman.
“It’s imperative to maintain the muscle we lose because of declining estrogen, along with maintaining bone mass and keeping our metabolism stoked.”
Men also need to maintain muscle that can be lost with declining testosterone, Kleidman added.
“I also recommend eating plenty of protein-focused meals throughout the day, with the biggest intakes coming at breakfast and directly after exercise,” one expert said. (iStock)
Pagett pointed to previous studies that show around 30% of adults over 70 have trouble walking, getting out of a chair or climbing steps.
“These trends in physical limitation are directly linked to higher rates of falls, chronic disease, nursing home admission and mortality,” he said.
“Resistance training improves insomnia because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm.”
The timing of exercise matters as well, Pagett noted.
“For one to two hours after exercise, your body releases endorphins that give you a kick of adrenaline that can elevate your energy levels, so I recommend trying to exercise at least three hours before you intend to sleep,” he advised.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. (iStock )
“I also recommend eating plenty of protein-focused meals throughout the day, with the biggest intakes coming at breakfast and directly after exercise,” Pagett said.
“This helps to minimize soreness and will help aid in your recovery.”
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The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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