Missing out on sleep has notable health risks in the long term, but lack of exercise does, too. If you have to pick one or the other, should you forgo your workout for more sack time?
Maybe not.
The researchers then tracked the health outcomes of the participants years later. Predictably, those who got paltry sleep, or those who slept too much (which in itself can also be problematic) and hardly exercised, were generally more likely to die during that period, including from issues such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. But the researchers also uncovered a surprising trend in the data: People who exercised a lot did not have an increased risk of death, even when they only slept less than six hours each night.
The study suggests that completing 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity every week might negate some of the health consequences associated with sleeping too much or too little, said Jihui Zhang, the director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Medicine at the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University and an author of the study.
I’m curious about this because I’m starting a new job near the end of April, and my current rowing ethic is inimately tied to my current schedule. I have to begin shifting to an earlier wakeup time if I’m to keep to the routine. I just got some white pants I want to fit into when the temps heat up.