Why Moving More Can Help You Sleep Better (Even If You’re Tired)
Ever feel like you’re too tired to exercise… but also too wired to sleep?
You’re not alone. For so many of us - especially busy, midlife women juggling work, family, and never ending to do lists - sleep and energy feel just out of reach.
But here’s the gentle nudge: moving more (even just a little) during the day can be a total game changer for how you sleep at night.
And no, I’m not talking about intense workouts or dragging yourself out for a 10k run. I mean the kind of movement that feels supportive, calming and actually doable.
Movement helps your body want sleep
Think of your body like a battery. The more you move during the day, the more “sleep pressure” builds up — which makes it easier to drift off and stay asleep later on.
This doesn’t mean hours at the gym. A walk, a yoga stretch, a bit of dancing in the kitchen — it all helps build that natural drive for sleep.
It clears the stress hormones
When we’re stressed (hello, most of modern life), our bodies make more cortisol.
And guess what? High cortisol = hard time falling asleep.
Movement is one of the simplest ways to bring those stress levels down. Even 10–15 minutes can help your body shift out of fight-or-flight mode and into rest-and-digest. Think of it like wringing out a sponge — tension gets released, and your whole system softens.
You don’t need to do loads — just something
The best kind of movement is the one you’ll actually do.
So if you’ve been waiting for a big chunk of time or a burst of motivation… maybe let that go.
Start with what feels easy:
– A short yoga video
– A walk around the block
– Putting on a playlist and having a dance in your kitchen.
Because once you start, your body gets the message: oh, we’re looking after ourselves now - and that shows up later, when your head hits the pillow.
The Takeaway
Moving more isn’t about pushing yourself. It’s about supporting yourself.
Giving your body a little release. Giving your brain a break. And giving your nervous system the chance to reset, so sleep can come more easily.
So if you’re tired-but-wired, don’t write off movement as “too much.”
Start small. Move gently. And see how your sleep responds.
Trix
P.S. Looking for a yoga class you try at home? Head over to my YOUTUBE channel for lots of free classes!
