Ten-Minute Daily Habit May Support Better Sleep

A small observational study found a connection between consistent movement and sleep structure. Researchers followed 69 college-aged adults across two periods covering eight months. Each person wore a Fitbit to track activity and rest, while electronic questionnaires completed three times weekly recorded morning sleep quality, energy, stress, and contentment.

During five-day stretches, people who accumulated 10 or more minutes of moderate or vigorous movement each day showed a smaller REM-to-NREM ratio over their first 180 minutes asleep. In practical terms, a greater share of that early rest occurred in NREM sleep, including its deepest stage. Regularly active participants also described having more energy the following day. The relationship remained after researchers accounted for total activity, suggesting that day-to-day consistency may matter alongside overall movement.

The finding does not mean a brief bout of movement transforms sleep. Benjamin Baird, PhD, said the pattern may instead help maintain the usual progression in which NREM is more common early and REM becomes stronger later. Possible explanations offered by Christopher Winter, MD, and Praveen Rudraraju, MD, include shifts in body temperature, adenosine and other neurotransmitters, greater sleep pressure, and exercise acting as a daily timing signal. The relevant effort could include brisk walking or running, and Baird noted that it need not be a formal workout. Although the participants were college students, he said broader research has found beneficial links between activity and sleep throughout adulthood.