Insomnia Got You Down? Here’s How EWOT Can Help

Tossing, turning, and clock-watching every night? If you’re someone who is struggling with insomnia, you know how frustrating and exhausting it can be. And you’re not alone. Many people lie awake each night, desperate for rest but unable to fall asleep. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, around 30-35% of adults have brief symptoms of insomnia, and 10% have a chronic insomnia disorder, which occurs at least 3 times per week for a period of at least 3 months. 

You may have tried various methods, including following sleep hygiene, practicing meditation, taking melatonin, using white noise, and reducing screen time. Some might help. Others, not so much.

But what if I told you that exercise can help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed?

Yes, that’s the power of exercise. Now that you can imagine the benefits of the mighty exercise-oxygen combo for your better sleep. Yes, I’m talking about Exercise with Oxygen Therapy, or EWOT in short. Let’s break down how EWOT could be your best friend for fighting against insomnia.

Understanding Insomnia

Insomnia isn’t just a “bad night’s sleep”. It’s an exhausting, vicious cycle of needing to rest but not being able to, no matter how tired you are. The amount of sleep you need depends on your age. Generally, healthy adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Insomnia is a condition that affects how much sleep you get.

Insomnia can be acute or chronic: if it lasts for up to a few weeks and is often triggered by recent stressors or life changes, it is considered to be acute insomnia. Chronic insomnia continues for 3 months or more, affecting sleep at least 3 nights per week. 

If you have insomnia, you may:

• Stay awake for long periods of time

• Wake up frequently during the night or be awake for most of the night

• Wake up too early in the morning and not getting back to sleep

• Wake up feeling unrested

• Experience daytime sleepiness or lethargy

• Have trouble concentrating

Wondering what the causes of insomnia are? Let’s look at the common causes and risk factors of insomnia.

Insomnia is more common in: 

• Older adults

• Pregnant women

• Women experiencing menopause

How Does Exercise Help with Insomnia?

Now that you understand the basics of insomnia, let’s look at how exercise can help with insomnia. Research has shown that just 4 weeks of regular exercise can help people with chronic insomnia fall asleep up to 13 minutes faster and stay asleep for 18 minutes longer. Here’s how exercise helps you sleep better:

• Exercise causes variations in body temperature: When you exercise, your body temperature increases, and after you finish your workout, your body temperature naturally drops. This post-exercise cooldown mimics the body’s natural temperature dip that occurs in the evening before sleep. As these changes are similar, your brain gets the signal that it’s time to sleep. 

• Exercise helps with anxiety and depression symptoms: Insomnia often accompanies anxiety and depression, with racing thoughts and stress disrupting sleep. The good news? Exercise can break that cycle by releasing endorphins, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

• Exercise can reset your internal clock: The misalignment of your natural circadian rhythm (the 24-hour internal body clock) can be a major cause of insomnia. When your sleep-wake cycle is out of sync, you may naturally feel sleepy much later than what is considered normal. The timing of your workouts can help reset this internal clock, helping you fall asleep earlier. Certain exercises, like running, also improve serotonin levels, an important hormone that regulates sleep.

Research has also shown that moderate aerobic exercise is more effective in relieving insomnia by increasing the amount of time you spend in deep sleep. When you’re in deep sleep, your body restores itself and heals muscles and tissues. This will help your body prepare for more exercise. 

Now you may ask, “Can a sedentary lifestyle trigger insomnia?”.

The answer is yes.

Lack of regular physical activity could be one of the reasons you’re tossing and turning at night. Studies show that those who stay physically active sleep better, fall asleep faster, and are less likely to develop insomnia over time. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle often paired with stress, poor health, or aging has been linked to higher chances of developing insomnia.

Unfortunately, it becomes a vicious cycle: the more tired you are, the harder it is to find the energy to work out. But breaking this cycle with even light movement can be the first step toward better sleep. This is where the Exercise with Oxygen Therapy comes in.

What is Exercise with Oxygen Therapy?

Exercise with Oxygen Therapy or EWOT involves inhaling higher concentrations of oxygen while doing light to moderate exercise. This powerful duo floods your body with oxygen, the fuel your body craves. We all know oxygen is life. But did you know that supplementing your body with oxygen promotes deep, restful sleep? 

Yes, according to Professor Clay Dickson of the University of Alberta, "Oxygen therapy could be used to enhance slow-wave states during sleep to ensure that individuals who may have disrupted sleep are getting enough of the restorative, slow-wave sleep." Slow wave sleep, also known as deep sleep, is the third stage of the sleep cycle, characterized by slow brain activity and deep relaxation of the body. It’s important for memory consolidation, recovery, and brain health.

How EWOT Helps You Sleep Better Naturally

Let’s break it down:

Calms Your Nervous System:

When you have insomnia, you might be feeling like you're stranded in the “fight or flight” mode. Always on, stressed, and unable to relax. Your body may be reacting to chronic stress or screen overload. EWOT can help you ease back into a more restful state by:

• Activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for “rest and digest”

• Reducing the cortisol levels, the stress hormone that keeps you up at night

• Improving your breathing pattern–the deep, diaphragmatic breathing, which naturally calms your mind and body

With just 15 minutes of engaging in EWOT, you may feel like a nervous system “reset”–the switching from restless to restful.

Improves Your Circulation:

If your blood flow is poor, oxygen doesn’t reach where it needs to go, including your brain. EWOT helps open up blood vessels and improves circulation throughout your body. This can help:

• Deliver oxygen to your brain’s sleep center
• Regulate body temperature at night
• Prevent nighttime restlessness or leg cramps

Improves ATP Synthesis: 

Your body needs oxygen to generate ATP, your body’s energy currency. ATP fuels all your body’s processes, including those connected to sleep. More oxygen means more energy during the day, and more natural fatigue at night.

Breathe Better:

Are you a shallow breather, fast breather, or chest breather? Yes, the way you breathe can affect the amount of oxygen your body gets, and it may even contribute to feeling anxious or panicked at night. When you engage in EWOT, you naturally start taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths. This helps calm your nervous system and keep you feeling more restful, both during the day and at night.

Getting Started with EWOT for Better Sleep

Ready to give EWOT a try? Here are some tips to get you started

• Invest in a reliable EWOT System. You can check out the Turbo Oxygen System variants to find a setup that fits your needs.

• If you’ve a piece of exercise equipment like a treadmill or an elliptical machine, that’s great. But you can also pair EWOT with exercises such as jumping jacks or jogging in place.

• Start with 8-10 minutes of light-to-moderate activity and gradually increase the duration and intensity as your body adapts to the increased oxygen levels. There’s no need to overexert.

• Be consistent with your routine. We recommend you start with 3-5 sessions per week. The best time to engage in EWOT is late morning to early evening. Avoid doing it too close to bedtime as it can increase your energy levels and might be harder for you to fall asleep.

• You can monitor your sleep by keeping a short journal of your nights, noting how quickly you fell asleep, whether you stayed asleep, and how rested you felt in the morning. Over time, you may start to notice a clear improvement in your sleep patterns.

Final Thoughts

Insomnia took away your peace and left you groggy, irritable or anxious? It’s high time to try something like Exercise with Oxygen Therapy (EWOT). These oxygen-infused workouts may be just the companion you need for a restful night’s sleep.