A recent study has revealed that engaging in weight-based resistance training at the gym—not just the monotonous treadmill sessions—is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality for individuals over 60. As someone who has wholeheartedly embraced this fitness journey in my later years, I find this news to be utterly unsurprising.
At 65, I began my regular resistance training regimen three years ago after learning about its crucial role in reducing the risk of dementia. Additionally, I aimed to strengthen my leg muscles and glutes to compensate for a congenital hip issue. Each time I leave the gym, having completed a full session of lifting, pushing, and dynamically maneuvering weights, I feel like a ninja—two inches taller and brimming with the satisfaction of having done something beneficial for my body, including my brain. What I hadn’t anticipated, however, was that I would also feel like a ninja the morning after each workout, experiencing significantly improved sleep.
While I have always relished the ‘yoga sleep’ that follows a restorative yoga class, I’ve found that resistance training delivers even greater improvements in my sleep quality. Particularly when I establish a routine of working out every other day (an ideal I strive for but don’t always achieve), the advantages of better sleep extend to the days I don’t hit the gym. I no longer wake up wide-eyed and disoriented throughout the night, which is one of the marvelous benefits of this fitness approach.
Maggie, who describes herself as a ‘deeply committed later-life-uptake gym bunny,’ has never experienced better sleep.
I generally have no trouble falling asleep, possibly due to my naturally good ‘sleep hygiene’: avoiding caffeine after 5 PM, moderating alcohol intake, steering clear of news after 7 PM, and refraining from late-night TV. I usually read a few pages of my book before drifting off. However, I often find myself waking up at 1 AM, 3 AM, and 4 AM, resorting to audiobooks, word puzzles, mentally reciting the names of my elementary school classmates, or making late-night cocoa to help me drift back to sleep.
Before I adopted a consistent gym routine, my nights had become so chaotic that my husband opted to sleep in a separate room for his own rest. This was detrimental not only to my health but also to our marriage—making the sleep benefits of strength training an unexpected but much-appreciated perk alongside the development of toned thighs and emerging abs.
What Research Says About Exercise and Sleep
When I maintain my regular training schedule, I enjoy uninterrupted, restorative sleep. No word puzzles, no audiobooks to lull me back to sleep, and no need for endless trips to the bathroom. As a result, I wake up feeling genuinely refreshed and mentally clear, as if I’ve turned back the clock. I no longer need to reach for that first strong cup of Yorkshire Gold just to kickstart my brain.
The recent study conducted by the Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine in Bangkok corroborates my personal experience, demonstrating that resistance training significantly enhances sleep quality compared to other forms of exercise. While previous research has shown that any form of exercise can improve sleep, this particular study meticulously analyzed data from 24 clinical trials, categorizing exercise types—weights, swimming, walking, yoga, cycling, dancing, and more.
The data encompassed over 2,000 participants aged 60 and above who engaged in exercise at least twice a week for approximately one hour. Their sleep quality was evaluated using the standardized Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which employs a 21-point scoring system. The results were astonishing.
- The sleep improvement score derived from resistance training was more than double that of yoga—5.75 points compared to 2.54.
- The second most effective exercise was aerobic activity, which scored 3.76 points, still significantly lower than the benefits of weight training.
Recently, I have been reminded of these benefits as I recover from a surgical procedure that has kept me away from the gym. My sleep has taken a hit, and I find myself resorting to audiobooks that are just dull enough not to keep me awake. I feel like a zombie during the first hour after waking, and my husband has returned to the spare room.
For those who believe sleep is optional, the researchers underline the serious implications of their findings. They note, “Strong evidence links sleeplessness to depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.” Additionally, several studies connect insomnia to metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and heart disease, as well as cognitive decline and increased prostate cancer risk.
Therefore, for those over 60 experiencing disrupted sleep—along with the myriad negative health and relational consequences—the best remedy isn’t sleeping pills or even yoga meditation, but rather hitting the weights. Not only will you enjoy blissful sleep through the night, but you’ll also feel and look fantastic while doing it.
