Having trouble sleeping? Try a high-intensity workout. Not only will you be hitting the sack in no time, but you’ll also sleep all the better for it, Huffington Post reports.

Researchers from the US National Sleep Foundation surveyed 1,000 people--48 percent of which did light physical activity, 25 percent did moderate exercise, 18 percent did vigorous workout, while nine percent had none. Those who were active and those who weren’t clocked in an average of six hours and 51 minutes worth of sleep on a regular workday, and seven hours and 37 minutes on a non-working day.

The collated data showed that those who worked out vigorously had the best sleep quality, while almost half of those who had no physical activity reported fair or bad sleep.

It’s not about how long you exercise, though. It’s about getting some in the first place. Dr. Michael A. Grandner of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine program at the University of Pennsylvania says, “Just moving a little bit might not be enough to drop pounds, but it can help improve your sleep, which itself has a lot of important, downstream positive effects.”

Interestingly, doing time on the treadmill and other such moves aren't the only activities that count as “exercise.” Simply getting off your chair can actually help. Twenty-two percent of the surveyed individuals who sat for less than six hours a day reported to have very good sleep, as compared who spent more than ten hours on a chair.

So if you have a desk job, remember to get up once in a while. Walk from the water dispense and back. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Although these activities may not be enough to lose weight, they will get you good sleep, which a good start to a healthier you. Once you’re ready, raise the bar and get in a few gym hours. Not only will you get to lose weight after some time, but you’ll also get in a great deal of satisfying rest.

(Photo by Eric McGregor via Flickr Creative Commons)