Here's Exactly How Many Minutes To Run Per Week For Better Sleep
Yep – the more 'realistic' figure was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing cancer, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, mental health issues, physical function problems, falls, and all-cause mortality (phew).
That's all well and good. But as someone who both has insomnia and loves to run, I have another question: how many minutes of running a week will get me to nod off better, if that's even one of its benefits to begin with?
Here's how the sport affects your kip, as well as how many minutes some experts think it takes to help you 'sleepmaxx'.
Why does running help you sleep?
Dr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, shared that the hotter months might be one of the best times to try running for better sleep.
'During summer, it can be challenging to maintain a regular sleep routine, as the combination of elevated temperatures and extended daylight hours can often harm sleep quality,' he said.
But runs, including parkruns (usually 5km long), can help, the doctor added.
'Parkruns are an excellent way to combat [poor sleep], as exercise can improve sleep by regulating the body's circadian rhythm, increasing physical fatigue and reducing cortisol levels, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.'
Some research posits that feelings of exhaustion might be more affected by your body clock than the number of hours you've slept – that might be why stepping outside in morning light can be so beneficial to your slumber.
Morning runs have been proven to improve sleep and psychological function among healthy adolescents, but exercise in general is fantastic for sleep duration and quality.
How much running do I need to do per week for better sleep?
A study published in BMJ journals found that people who stuck to a minimum of 600 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET) of physical activity a week – equivalent to 75 minutes of running, or 150 minutes of lower-intensity activity like walking, per Runner's World – were less likely to see 'the deleterious associations of poor sleep with mortality'.
The researchers speculated that this may be because being active is key to 'maintaining a stable circadian rhythm and a healthy sleep pattern.'
Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins Medicine wrote that those who performed at least 30 minutes a day of moderate aerobic activity, like zone 2 jogging or walking, slept better that same night.
For what it's worth, the parkruns Dr Grant mentioned earlier take an average of 32 minutes to complete.
Certainly much less punishing than I feared...
Related...
I Tried 'Jeffing' And My Running Pace Skyrocketed
I Took My VO2 Max From 'Fair' To 'Excellent' With This Running Plan
Keep Getting Running Injuries? The 'UHBE' Test Could Reveal Why
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
NEWS OF THE WEEK: Phil Collins reveals reason for hospital stay
Despite speculation that the Genesis frontman has been receiving hospice care, his rep shut down concerns about his health. In a statement to People, he insisted that rumours of any terminal illness are "completely incorrect". The latest update comes six months after the drummer shared how his health issues - which included severe nerve damage from a 2007 spinal injury - had been impacting his ability to make music. "I keep thinking I should go downstairs to the studio and see what happens. But I'm not hungry for it anymore. The thing is, I've been sick, I mean very sick.".
Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
If you feel the weather in your bones, this might be why
Some people don't need a weather app — they feel the forecast in their bones. A storm rolls in and so do throbbing heads, aching joints and mood drops. For years, this phenomenon was dismissed as imagination or coincidence. Now, with sharper tools and larger datasets, more researchers are taking weather-related symptoms seriously. As former Agriculture Department chief meteorologist Albert Peterlin put it: 'It's not the weather. It's the change in weather that causes stress.' Sudden swings in atmospheric pressure, humidity and temperature can lower blood oxygen saturation, the amount of oxygen your red blood cells carry, while also triggering hormonal fluctuations and cardiovascular strain — biological changes many people experience before a storm breaks, according to researchers. Falling pressure activates the autonomic nervous system and heightens pain sensitivity in people with chronic conditions, according to studies in Brain Research Bulletin and PLoSOne. The nervous system's fight-or-flight response has been linked to increased anxiety and disrupted sleep. The term for this emerging field is meteoropathy: the study of physiological reactions to environmental changes, especially barometric shifts, that disrupt circulation and rattle the nervous system. Meteoropathic illness is not yet a formal diagnosis, but more scientists are finding evidence for it. 'Doctors have long minimized these complaints as subjective,' says Sarah Mulukutla, a neurologist and adjunct professor at Yale. 'But that doesn't mean imaginary.' Evidence shows that atmospheric instability influences hormone levels, shifts that affect how pain is processed and may explain migraine attacks, joint stiffness and fatigue. Pain doctors are witnessing these effects firsthand. Pavan Tankha, who leads pain recovery at the Cleveland Clinic, says chronic discomfort often worsens during weather instability. One of his patients experiences intense pain flare-ups during spring storms. 'We're observing a weather-sensitive pain phenotype,' or patients who are sensitive to atmospheric swings, Tankha says. 'These effects aren't random. They're cumulative,' says Vincent Martin, director of the University of Cincinnati's Headache and Facial Pain Center. His team found that lightning within 25 miles of a home increases migraine risk by 31 percent. Both rising and falling air density can provoke migraines and tension headaches. A 2023 Japanese study using a barometric pressure-tracking app analyzed over 336,000 headache events alongside weather records. It found that pressure drops, spikes in humidity and rainfall are strongly associated with increased headaches, confirming what many long suspected. Thanks to apps, symptom monitoring is getting smarter. Users log symptoms alongside atmospheric data, and the app learns their storm signature — a unique pattern of weather changes, such as rising pressure or dropping temperature, linked to how their body responds. The personalized approach is catching on in the United States. Peterlin built on that model, creating three-day forecasts and collaborating with pharmaceutical teams on weather-based treatments. Wearable fitness and health technology products like the Apple Watch and Whoop help researchers map the body's invisible reactions to weather in real time. According to Artificial Intelligence Review, wearable sensors can now detect early signs of cardiovascular strain, stress and even mood instability. So, what's happening inside the body? As storms approach, air weight declines and humidity rises. Pain receptors, or nerve endings in joints, muscles and tissues that detect stress, pressure or temperature shifts, send signals through the spine to the brain, where pain and emotion register. The receptors may fire in response to shifts in intracranial pressure sensed by the brain, sinuses and carotid arteries. 'Even slight shifts disrupt balance,' says UCLA neurologist Alan Rapoport, especially for migraine sufferers. (Some 12 percent of people in the United States, primarily women, are said to experience migraines.) A broader view reveals just how much these fluctuations affect us. The State of Global Air report connects climate-driven changes in air quality, temperature and humidity to increased health risks across systems. The bigger the change, the stronger the body's response. 'I don't need to check the forecast. I feel it in my head,' says Susan Cucchiara, a New York-based naturopathic doctor. She hydrates, walks and supplements with magnesium. 'It's about supporting your whole system.' Others echo that sentiment. Laurie Krupa, a patient of Cucchiara's in New Jersey, says before storms, 'pain would flare in my knees, hips and whole body, not just my head.' Today, she finds relief through movement, minerals and nutrition. Weather can hit us hard. Cold fronts, low pressure and damp air may cause tissues to swell and joints to stiffen. The Arthritis Foundation notes that many people with arthritis experience flare-ups during weather changes, particularly when humidity rises or air pressure drops. The Annals of Medicine linked these shifts to increased osteoarthritis pain. Animal research also indicates that high humidity increases inflammatory cytokines, exacerbating joint discomfort. 'Stress, mood and inflammation all interact,' says Terence Starz, retired professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. He notes that tools like the Weather & Arthritis Index help patients anticipate and manage pain episodes. Even the brain isn't immune. The Journal of Physiology reports that high altitude can alter cerebral blood flow. Changes in air density also occur in pressurized flights and incoming storms. 'When air gets lighter, the brain can swell,' which contributes to headaches, says Rapoport. Those most vulnerable usually have a family history of migraine, often compounded by insomnia, stress or hormonal shifts. Baltimore psychologist Andy Santanello offers a deeper insight: 'Weather used to mean danger: cold, scarcity, stress. Our nervous system evolved to react.' The body still carries that ancient imprint. The weather-health connection isn't new. In 1947, physician William F. Petersen proposed that environmental stressors could cause headaches — a theory once dismissed is now supported by neuroscience, real-time data and AI. 'Even Hippocrates wrote about this,' says Peterlin, the former USDA meteorologist. 'Now science is finally proving it.' The weather may be unpredictable, but your body can learn to move with it. Experts recommend: Keep a journal. Tracking your symptoms daily alongside weather patterns may help predict flare-ups. 'With patterns comes predictability,' says Rapoport. Hydrate and supplement. Rapoport also recommends magnesium and riboflavin (Vitamin B2) to reduce migraine frequency. Talk to your doctor. Move gently. Tai chi, walking and yoga improve circulation and joint flexibility. Starz advises staying active but listening to your pain cues. Practice mindfulness. Breathwork and meditation help regulate the nervous system. Mulukutla uses both in treating chronic pain. Use wearables. Tools like the Apple Watch, Whoop, Migraine Mentor and N1-Headache help track patterns and atmospheric shifts. Be proactive. On sensitive days, prioritize sleep, limit stress and reduce screen time. These days, when the weather turns and my body knows it, I stretch, hydrate, rest — and check flights to somewhere sunnier.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
RFK Indefinitely Postponed A Critical Meeting — And It Could Have 'Devastating Effects' On All Of Us
It's hard to keep track of the funding cuts, layoffs, vaccine recommendation changes and other major shake-ups happening within the country's federal public health organizations at the hands of the Trump administration and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary. One of the latest changes is RFK Jr's postponement of a preventive health panel meeting by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which was scheduled for July 10 and the rumored dismissal of all task force members, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The USPSTF sets guidelines for preventive health screenings for conditions such as diabetes, depression and cancer in children and adults. Insurance companies are then required to cover these screenings based on the USPSTF's guidelines. This news comes not long after Kennedy postponed the meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which sets vaccine recommendations, and replaced the entire committee with individuals known to spread vaccine and health misinformation, according to earlier HuffPost reporting. The changes to the USPSTF meeting and task force members is worrisome for a few reasons and could directly impact your health. Here's what doctors want you to know: This task force sets preventive screening recommendations. Changes or delays to the meeting schedule can mean missed diagnoses or changes to what insurance companies cover. The United States Preventive Services Task Force, which was formed in 1984, is a group of non-partisan volunteers who are 'nationally recognized experts' in the fields of primary care, prevention and evidence-based medicine, according to the USPTF website. All members are screened for biases, are chosen through public nomination and appointed by the Health and Human Services secretary. They serve four-year terms with new task force members rotating in each year. 'The cancellation of this specific task force ... is going to affect every American if [Kennedy and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services does] what they did to the ACIP and fire or remove the 16 independent medical experts who really scour the literature and then grade the evidence for each of their recommendations,' Dr. Anita Patel, a pediatric critical care doctor in Washington, D.C., told HuffPost. Once again, this hasn't been done yet, but it is allegedly in the works. One of the significant roles of the task force is to make recommendations and guidelines for preventative care services such as mammograms, colonoscopies, depression screenings and more, said Patel. Insurance companies are then required to cover these screenings and services as part of the Affordable Care Act. Doctors across the country also follow these guidelines when recommending health services for patients. In response to the reports of the dismissal of current task force members, the American Medical Association sent a letter to RFK Jr. in support of the task force in which they said, 'USPSTF plays a critical, non-partisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients by helping to ensure access to evidence-based clinical preventive services.' Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also backed the task force by introducing a resolution that underscores the importance of the group, according to NPR. 'If the [task force] is unable to continue its work, this could have devastating effects on access to preventive services,' Dr. Oni Blackstock, a primary care physician and executive director of Health Justice, a racial and health equity consultancy, told HuffPost via email. 'We [already] know millions of Americans are at risk for losing their Medicaid,' Blackstock said, referring to the nearly $1 trillion cuts in Medicaid as part of the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill. 'Now, many others who have insurance coverage will be at risk for losing no-cost coverage of preventive care services,' added Blackstock. It's worth knowing that the meeting is currently postponed; it's not clear when it will happen instead, and who will be part of the task force when that time comes. But, as of now, what the task force recommends hasn't changed. 'Canceling the USPSTF meeting without a clear plan to reschedule puts essential, evidence-based health guidance at risk, including continued access to preventive services that millions of Americans rely on, from cancer and diabetes screenings to depression checks to support for breastfeeding,' Dr. David Higgins, a pediatrician and preventive medicine specialist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, told HuffPost via email. Any delays to the task force's meeting schedule can also cause issues. 'Delays or disruptions can mean delayed diagnoses, missed opportunities for early treatment, and ultimately, worse health outcomes,' added Higgins. Not only do these changes threaten the guidance from the task force, but they 'affect whether a patient catches their cancer early enough or a person with chronic heart disease gets optimal treatment,' he noted. The task force was recently criticized for being 'woke,' which some experts think is why it's being targeted now. 'Unfortunately, this [postponement] fits a troubling pattern of political interference in scientific and public health processes,' Higgins said. Just a few days after Kennedy told panel members that the preventive health meeting was postponed, 'The American Conservative' published an essay titled 'Time for Kennedy to Kill the USPSTF.' The article claimed the task force is 'woke' and follows 'left-wing ideological orthodoxy' and is part of the 'deep state,' among other things. 'The claim that the task force is driven by 'woke' ideology is a political talking point, not a reflection of how the USPSTF actually operates,' said Higgins. 'Their work is based on a rigorous review of scientific evidence. Identifying and addressing disparities in health outcomes is part of delivering high-quality care,' Higgins added. It's well-established that certain demographics do have worse health care outcomes; Black people have higher rates of maternal mortality than other groups, upward of 50% of Latinx folks are predicted to be diagnosed with diabetes, Black people are 30% more likely to have asthma than white people and the list goes on. The task force should be considering how race and gender impacts health outcomes. Blackstock noted that USPSTF hasn't always done this, but that is changing. 'It's lacked community voices and, for a long time, didn't focus on health equity or racism's impact on health and was not focused on ensuring diverse representation among its members,' Blackstock said. Recently, though, this has changed, and the task force has worked to address these issues, Blackstock added. 'It has taken steps to formalize the use of inclusive language, and to flag if data is missing for a population, particularly those that are minoritized,' Blackstock said. The group is also piloting an equity checklist that helps integrate equity throughout the screening recommendation process, Blackstock noted. These recent steps put a target on USPSTF's back, she said. 'I believe this is why the [task force] is being targeted, because it is paying attention to health inequities and racism's harmful effects on health,' Blackstock said. Patel added that USPSTF isn't taking care away from white Americans. Instead, it's 'trying to level the playing field so that everyone got equal care,' Patel noted. 'But, of course, [critics of the task force] saw the term 'diversity' or 'equity' and really tried to blow up one part of a much larger organization to play to their base and say, 'Hey, these guys are woke idiots,'' Patel said. USPSTF is now trying to advance medicine and make sure everyone, no matter where they live or what they look like, has access to preventive health screenings. The task force is here to 'take out the inherent racism that we've had in medicine for decades that has been really unduly perpetuated,' Patel noted. While racism does certainly still exist in medicine, awareness allows medical professionals to address any biases and make sure everyone gets the care they deserve regardless of their race, socioeconomic background or ethnicity, Patel noted. 'It's an evil thing to walk back all of these medical and diversity advancements that we've made in the past decade just because they want to pander to their base. It's unconscionable,' Patel said. Related... Experts Say Trump's Big Bill Will Shut Down This 1 Type Of Hospital — And It'll Impact Multitudes COVID Cases Are Rising This Summer, But Not All The Data Shows It — Here's Why RFK Jr. Keeps Telling A Flat-Out Lie About Childhood Vaccines — And Doctors Are Sick Of It Solve the daily Crossword
