Daily exercise could be the key to better sleep and improved mood, according to a new study from The University of Texas at Austin. Researchers found that even 10 minutes of moderate activity per day can make a significant difference.
A recent study from The University of Texas at Austin has shed new light on the impact of daily exercise on sleep quality. The research highlights that consistent, daily physical activity could significantly enhance the quality of deep, restorative sleep, contributing to improved mood and mental health.
Published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health, the study monitored data from UT Austin students who wore Fitbits over several months. Unlike prior studies focusing on total exercise time, this research zeroed in on the frequency of physical activity.
“We wanted to know whether it matters if someone spreads out their exercise over the week versus doing it all at once, like a ‘weekend warrior,’” Benjamin Baird, a research assistant professor of psychology in the College of Liberal Arts at UT Austin, said in a news release. “And for sleep health, frequency does seem to matter.”
The research builds on earlier findings that link exercise to non-REM, or deep sleep, according to Chris Corral, who recently earned a master’s degree in health behavior and health education from UT Austin and co-led the study. This type of sleep, particularly in the early night hours, is crucial for the body’s physical and mental recovery.
Participants who exercised more frequently enjoyed more restorative sleep.
“That’s exactly what you want,” Baird added.
Intriguingly, the study found that even just 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily was sufficient to make a noticeable difference in sleep quality among young adults.
Moderate to vigorous activity was defined as any exercise that raises breathing but still allows for conversation, such as brisk walking — about a 6 on a 1-to-10 effort scale.
Even light activities, including regular walking or taking standing breaks, were linked to better sleep patterns and improved mood the following day.
Those who engaged in regular exercise also reported higher energy levels and lower stress.
“We saw that more non-REM sleep was tied to better next-day mood and energy,” added Baird.
The study stands out for its use of wearable technology to continuously track participants’ activity and sleep patterns over several months, offering a comprehensive view of how daily habits affect sleep and mood over time.
This research is part of the broader Whole Communities — Whole Health initiative, which employs an interdisciplinary, community-engaged approach to exploring health and well-being.
The team is now preparing to test whether these findings apply to a more diverse population through a five-year cohort study under the same initiative.
Corral pointed out that although current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommend 150 minutes of exercise per week, they don’t specify how to distribute that time.
“Our results suggest that daily movement may be better for sleep than doing it all on the weekend,” Corral added.
If future research validates these findings across broader populations, including various age groups and activity levels, public health recommendations could see significant updates.
“Current guidelines don’t reflect the importance of frequency for sleep health,” added Baird. “Having this kind of data allows us to start thinking about whether they should.”
The implications of these findings extend beyond sleep.
“Sleep is when your brain stores memories, clears waste and resets,” Corral added. “Better sleep means better brain health and potentially lower risks of chronic disease and depression.”
The key is to engage in daily movement.
“You don’t need to run marathons,” added Corral. “Just moving a little each day helps. Light activity counts too. Doing something is better than doing nothing.”