Resistance Training Improves Sleep Quality Better Than Cardio, Study Finds

Key Takeaways

If you’re looking for a better night’s rest, hitting the gym to lift some weights could be the answer, according to a new report.

Researchers in Japan analyzed 27 studies that looked at non-drug methods to improve sleep in younger and middle-aged adults, comparing exercise, diet, and sleep hygiene practices. The findings, published in the journalPlos One, showed that for adults under 65, resistance training is the best non-drug way to improve sleep quality, beating out cardio.

Sam Kashani, MD, a clinical instructor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a member of the board of directors for the California Sleep Society, said these findings reinforce what we already know about sleep and exercise: working out helps us catch some good sleep.

But what might surprise people is that resistance training is more effective than aerobic exercise (such as running or cycling) when it comes to improving sleep quality.

“People used to always say, ‘Just do aerobic exercise, and if you want to do resistance training a couple times a week, great,” saidScott Collier, PhD, a professor of cardiovascular exercise science at Appalachian State University Department of Public Health and Exercise Science.

“Now, we’re starting to figure out that with resistance exercise, there are benefits that are even stronger than those from aerobic training,” he added. “This is one of those benefits: You tend to sleep better with resistance training.”

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Why Resistance Training Helps Improve Sleep

Collier echoes this finding. He said in his own 2015 research on resistance training and sleep, he learned that resistance training helped decrease anxiety and stress.

He also said that resistance training can benefit heart health as it increases blood flow, meaning the vessels in the heart don’t have to work as hardduring sleep when your blood pressureshould naturally drop—a phenomenon called nocturnal dipping. “This is great for people that have high blood pressure,” Collier said.

Another reason resistance training may help people sleep is because of the way it impacts the body.Previous researchon resistance training and sleep out of Iowa State University suggests that since weight training stresses muscle tissue, it might send a signal to the brain that sleep is needed to repair the damage.

Kashani said that the hormone adenosine—which helps promote sleep—is a key factor when it comes to why exercise in general helps us doze off.He explained that exercise can increase adenosine levels, so the more of it we do, the better we might sleep at night.

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How Much Do You Need to Lift for Better Sleep?

As a sleep doctor, Kashani advises his patients to do some form of movement daily in order to improve their sleep

How much resistance training a person does a week can depend on their personal circumstances, such as physical ability and free time. However, there are some general guidelines.

The American Heart Associationrecommendsstrength training at least twice a week.The U.S. guidelinesfor physical activity from the Department of Health and Human Services also recommend adults do a muscle-strengthening activity at least two days each week in addition to at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.

In other research on exercise and sleep out of Iowa State University, study participants were grouped into resistance training workouts, aerobic workouts, and combination workouts (both resistance and aerobic exercise). Each group engaged in 60-minute training sessions three times a week, with the combination group doing 30 minutes of resistance training and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise each session.

But what aboutwhenyou train? Collier’s previous research on resistance training and sleep found that engaging in exercise at any time of the day can improve sleep quality compared with no strength training, but evening sessions tend to help people sleep a bit better.

“Resistance exercise may offer additional benefits regarding the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep to populations with osteoporosis, sarcopenia, anxiety, or depression,” Collier and his co-authors wrote.

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What Strength Workouts Should Look Like

Doing resistance training that targets all the major muscle groups in the body is ideal, said Collier.

The research out of Iowa State University had participants use 12 resistance machines to do exercises, including leg press, chest press, lat pulldown, bicep curl, and abdominal crunches. Each participant performed three sets of eight to 12 reps at 50% to 80% of their one-rep max.

In Collier’s own research on resistance training and sleep, he had participants work out for 30 minutes using nine different resistance machines, completing three sets of 10 reps.

But you don’t need to use resistance machines for your workout, Collier said. You can also use dumbbells for movements such as bicep curl or chest press, barbells for deadlift or back squat, resistance bands for lateral shoulder raise or leg extension, or even your own body weight for movements such as chin-ups or push-ups.

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While resistance training was hailed as the best way to improve sleep quality in the meta-analysis, other non-drug methods, including a healthy diet and combined interventions (such as pairing dietary changes with exercise), were also shown to promote sleep. Aerobic exercise is known to improve both sleep quantity and quality, too.

Kashani echoes this and says that lifestyle behaviors outside of exercise are also important for sleep. Sleep hygiene, for example, is a big one.

“Sleep hygiene refers to having good sleep habits and behaviors at nighttime,” he said. This includes optimizing pre-bedtime routines to prepare us for sleep and improving bedroom environments to make sure that they’re “sleep-promoting”—meaning they’re cool, dark, quiet, and free from distractions, such as phones.

Another important non-drug method to improve sleep is actually listening to your body and not forcing yourselves to stay up late when you are tired. Pushing yourself to stay up later than you should leads to chronic sleep debt, Kashani said. “And sleep debt, unlike financial debt, cannot be paid off,” he added.

Lastly, abalanced diet and proper hydrationare also important for quality sleep. Drinking caffeine close to bedtime can disrupt rest, and consuming alcohol can hurt sleep quality, too. When it comes to food, sugary and high-fat foods can hinder sleep patterns.

“These healthy behaviors, whether it’s regular physical fitness, regular timing of meals throughout the daytime, or eating healthy foods, all play a huge role in sleep-wake regulation,” Kashani said.

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What This Means For YouResistance training—such as lifting weights—is the best non-drug way to improve sleep quality, according to recently published research. Experts say that regular resistance training alongside a healthy diet and good sleep hygiene practices can all help bolster rest.

What This Means For You

Resistance training—such as lifting weights—is the best non-drug way to improve sleep quality, according to recently published research. Experts say that regular resistance training alongside a healthy diet and good sleep hygiene practices can all help bolster rest.

8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hirohama K, Imura T, Hori T, Deguchi N, Mitsutake T, Tanaka R.The effects of nonpharmacological sleep hygiene on sleep quality in nonelderly individuals: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0301616. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301616Cunningham JEA, Shapiro CM.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to treat depression: a systematic review.J Psychosom Res. 2018;106:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.12.012Carbone EA, Menculini G, de Filippis R, et al.Sleep disturbances in generalized anxiety disorder: the role of calcium homeostasis imbalance.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):4431. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054431Alley JR, Mazzochi JW, Smith CJ, Morris DM, Collier SR.Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure.J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(5):1378-1385. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000750Iowa State University.Pumping iron may improve sleep more than cardio workouts.Roig M, Cristini J, Parwanta Z, et al.Exercising the sleepy-ing brain: exercise, sleep, and sleep loss on memory.Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2022;50(1):38-48. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000273ScienceDaily.Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs.Kovacevic A, Mavros Y, Heisz JJ, Fiatarone Singh MA.The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2018;39:52-68. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.07.002

8 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Hirohama K, Imura T, Hori T, Deguchi N, Mitsutake T, Tanaka R.The effects of nonpharmacological sleep hygiene on sleep quality in nonelderly individuals: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0301616. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301616Cunningham JEA, Shapiro CM.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to treat depression: a systematic review.J Psychosom Res. 2018;106:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.12.012Carbone EA, Menculini G, de Filippis R, et al.Sleep disturbances in generalized anxiety disorder: the role of calcium homeostasis imbalance.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):4431. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054431Alley JR, Mazzochi JW, Smith CJ, Morris DM, Collier SR.Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure.J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(5):1378-1385. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000750Iowa State University.Pumping iron may improve sleep more than cardio workouts.Roig M, Cristini J, Parwanta Z, et al.Exercising the sleepy-ing brain: exercise, sleep, and sleep loss on memory.Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2022;50(1):38-48. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000273ScienceDaily.Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs.Kovacevic A, Mavros Y, Heisz JJ, Fiatarone Singh MA.The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2018;39:52-68. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.07.002

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Hirohama K, Imura T, Hori T, Deguchi N, Mitsutake T, Tanaka R.The effects of nonpharmacological sleep hygiene on sleep quality in nonelderly individuals: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0301616. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301616Cunningham JEA, Shapiro CM.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to treat depression: a systematic review.J Psychosom Res. 2018;106:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.12.012Carbone EA, Menculini G, de Filippis R, et al.Sleep disturbances in generalized anxiety disorder: the role of calcium homeostasis imbalance.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):4431. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054431Alley JR, Mazzochi JW, Smith CJ, Morris DM, Collier SR.Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure.J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(5):1378-1385. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000750Iowa State University.Pumping iron may improve sleep more than cardio workouts.Roig M, Cristini J, Parwanta Z, et al.Exercising the sleepy-ing brain: exercise, sleep, and sleep loss on memory.Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2022;50(1):38-48. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000273ScienceDaily.Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs.Kovacevic A, Mavros Y, Heisz JJ, Fiatarone Singh MA.The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2018;39:52-68. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.07.002

Hirohama K, Imura T, Hori T, Deguchi N, Mitsutake T, Tanaka R.The effects of nonpharmacological sleep hygiene on sleep quality in nonelderly individuals: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PLoS One. 2024;19(6):e0301616. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0301616

Cunningham JEA, Shapiro CM.Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to treat depression: a systematic review.J Psychosom Res. 2018;106:1-12. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.12.012

Carbone EA, Menculini G, de Filippis R, et al.Sleep disturbances in generalized anxiety disorder: the role of calcium homeostasis imbalance.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(5):4431. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054431

Alley JR, Mazzochi JW, Smith CJ, Morris DM, Collier SR.Effects of resistance exercise timing on sleep architecture and nocturnal blood pressure.J Strength Cond Res. 2015;29(5):1378-1385. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000750

Iowa State University.Pumping iron may improve sleep more than cardio workouts.

Roig M, Cristini J, Parwanta Z, et al.Exercising the sleepy-ing brain: exercise, sleep, and sleep loss on memory.Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2022;50(1):38-48. doi:10.1249/JES.0000000000000273

ScienceDaily.Resistance exercise may be superior to aerobic exercise for getting better ZZZs.

Kovacevic A, Mavros Y, Heisz JJ, Fiatarone Singh MA.The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Sleep Med Rev. 2018;39:52-68. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.07.002

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