If you had to have one or another, which would you choose: more sleep or more exercise? The New York Times addressed this question today. The article is short, but I believe is dead-on. Give the article a read.
“Exercise, sleep and nutrition form the triangle of health, and all are related,” - Dr. Phyllis Zee, professor of neurology and director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Northwestern University in Chicago.
I share the opinion of Dr. Zee. I think people overcomplicate being healthy. If you want to be healthy, you only need to focus on three things:
1. Eating right.
2. Sleeping enough.
3. Exercising daily.
By doing the above, you are going to be healthy. End of story.
When it comes to exercising vs. sleep, some treat the situation as an individual can only have one or another. This isn't true. Like the article says, you may have to make adjustments to your schedule, but getting enough exercise or sleep is entirely possible if you are willing to sacrifice.
If you are someone who finds that getting up in the morning is tough, you have to start going to bed earlier if possible. Unless something critical keeps you from going to bed sooner, move your bedtime earlier by 30 minutes for a few weeks. If you find you need more sleep, go to bed another 30 minutes earlier.
I recently started doing this. I set a hard deadline of 10 PM as my bedtime except on Wednesdays, when I watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I have found that having a concrete deadline forces me to get the things I need to accomplish during the day done. I am less likely to put tasks off. Plus, I get a solid 8-9 hours of sleep a night.
Between sleep or exercise, I think it's more important to get the right amount of sleep. Without sleep, your whole body system can suffer. Obviously, I support getting both sleep and exercise, but sleep might be slightly more important for the normal functioning of your body.
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