Variation in exercise is important to get a healthy workout and to sleep better.
Variation keeps your body and mind confused. In other words, your body and mind can't get used to the activity, and this forces them to work hard and stay beneficially stressed as opposed to just coasting by.
By working your body and mind, you will not only be more physically and cognitively strong, but you'll will sleep better because exercise causes your sleep to be more deep and restful.
Countless Variations
Jumping rope is terrific exercise because it offer so many variations and opportunities for creativity. In fact, jumping rope arguably offers as many genuine variations as any exercise. There's forward, backward, fast, medium, slow, two legs, one leg, crossed arms, etc., etc.
Your body and mind must work fairly hard to establish and maintain the coordination needed to correctly jump all the variations. You must work at creating and maintaining timing, rhythm, speed, power and balance. As a result, jumping rope offers continuing challenge and stimulation.
Boredom is less likely to occur with jump roping than many other exercises, especially if you at least attempt to jump using the many variations. This means you'll get a better quality exercise and there's less chance that you will stop doing it.
Convenient and Inexpensive
Jumping rope is also convenient because you can do it almost anywhere, inside or outside. It's also a really inexpensive way to exercise. Overdoing it, of course, can result in sore feet, ankles and knees, so start off modestly to built up your strength.
Want to sleep at least a little better tonight? Then jump rope today.
External resources
New Fitness article
Medicinenet article