DEAR DOCTORS: I sometimes have trouble sleeping. I've tried running, which helps with stress, but not with sleep. My husband says he just heard on the news that weightlifting is supposed to be good for sleep. Do you know if this is true?
DEAR READER: We suspect your husband is referring to the preliminary results of a new study, presented earlier this year at an American Heart Association conference, that found that resistance training, such as lifting weights, can have a beneficial effect on sleep. The study's outcomes affirm previous research, which has also found that resistance training can offer sleep benefits. Before we get to the details, we want to point out that this study hasn't yet completed peer review. That's the process in which other experts in the same field evaluate someone's research or scholarly work.
