Hi there, it's Matt here and welcome back to the podcast.

As you may know, if you listen to this podcast, insomnia is a sleep disorder that affects

between 4% and 22% of adults clinically with sleep problems affecting up to 30% of the global population.

But here's where the story of insomnia takes an interesting turn based on a fresh new study

just published. What if a possible solution, or at least one solution tool in the insomnia box, isn't hidden

in a prescription bottle, but alongside things like cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia

is as simple as daily physical activity? What if some forms of physical activity every single

day could help the 10107.5 billion annual

cost of insomnia in the United States alone, with 76% of that cost coming from productivity

losses rather than direct medical care?

And if so, what are the most effective

forms of exercise to reduce insomnia risk and insomnia severity and the least effective? I'm about

to share findings from a superb comprehensive study, perhaps the most comprehensive study ever

conducted on exercise and sleep,

a rigorous scientific analysis published in the journal called BMJ evidence-based medicine.

The researchers analyzed 22 randomized controlled trials involving 1,348 sleep-deprived individuals across 13 different interventions

with seven exercise-based approaches. The results show what scientists call moderate to large

effect sizes. Think of effect size like measuring the difference between a gentle

breeze and a strong wind. These weren't subtle improvements. They were changes substantial enough

that you'd notice them in your daily life with benefits lasting up to two years. Let's start with some context. Individual insomnia

sufferers face costs averaging $5,010 annually. That's a 60% increase since 2010 in countries like

Germany. You could even think of insomnia as a despicable subscription service

...