You could lose that boost of energy and mental clarity you get after a workout — if you don’t get enough sleep. But that’s just the beginning.
Turns out not getting enough sleep, coupled with exercise, could actually be bad for your brain.
That’s according to the findings from a new longitudinal UK study published in a journal called The Lancet. Over a 10-year period, some 9,000 participants were surveyed by scientists every two years.
“The study shows sleeping less than six hours consistently cuts cognitive benefits of exercise,” said Dr. Keisha Sullivan, a sleep medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente in Largo, Maryland.
Furthermore, Sullivan noted that the study shows there was less cognitive decline over a 10-year period among those people who did not exercise, but got an adequate amount of sleep (between six and eight hours).
“Cognitive function would include remembering things, staying quick on your feet, learning new skills,” Sullivan explained, adding that those who got more than six hours of sleep were able to function better mentally in daily life.
“It’s remembering where your car keys are in the morning, remembering what’s on your to do list for the day, or when to pick your kids up from practice,” she said, adding that the effects of this study were especially noticeable in patients who were in later stages of life.
The first key take-away, she said, is that it’s OK to skip a workout here and there if it’ll mean getting more sleep. So, next time you feel like you have to force a gym session even when it’s getting late, she said the juice might not be worth the squeeze if you want to stay sharp long-term.
“It’s great to exercise. But without sleep, we will be less able to maintain throughout the day,” she said.
On the flip side, Sullivan said activity is still incredibly important, and this study shouldn’t be used as an excuse to skip the gym altogether.
That’s why she said you should budget your time to be able workout and get enough sleep. It’s easier said than done, but can make all the difference for both mind and body.
