Q: How do I make an intelligent choice between sleep and exercise? I usually sleep when time is tight and stress is high, am I better off getting an extra hour of sleep or getting up to squeeze in my workout? Does an extra hour of sleep do your body as much good as a 30-minute workout? Is there some other sleep/exercise combination that might be the best of both worlds?
A: For the most benefits, you must get at least 6 1/2 hours of sleep a night, and you should be able to find 20 to 30 minutes a day to do walking (or another cardiovascular exercise), strength training, or flexibility training like yoga.
But health isn't a version of Let's Make a Deal—you pick one box (sleep) over another (exercise). What you have to do is figure out ways to make sure you get the right amounts of both. If that means re-organizing your life to schedule exercise, good. If it means missing a Sex & the City rerun to squeeze in a workout, fine. If it means that you have to end your relationship with Mr. Leno to hit the pillow a little earlier, so be it.
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