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Struggling to sleep? Science says these 3 gentle workouts could be the fix — here’s why

Some types of exercise are more effective sleep aids than others

man doing qigong martial arts tai chi
Hebert Santos / Pexels

Research reveals that yoga, tai chi, walking, jogging, and other gentle physical activities or movements can help reduce symptoms of insomnia. Cognitive behavioral therapy, combined with aerobic activities like cycling and jogging, can also improve sleep quality, total sleep time, and the time it takes to fall into a restful sleep. The same research also showed that a combo of cardio activities helped people fall asleep half an hour quicker.

If you’re struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, working on your fitness could help. So, which type of exercise is best for better sleep? The mounting research shows that doing yoga resulted in the largest increase in total sleep time at 110 minutes, as well as improving sleep efficiency. This large meta-analysis, spanning 22 studies and involving around 1,300 people, concluded that three particular types of exercise are superior for better sleep. Let’s check out the top three exercises and some of the science that backs them up.

Yoga

Yoga came out on top, with evidence showing that it not only increased total sleep time by 110 minutes but also reduced the time it took for people to fall asleep by 30 minutes. On those nights when you’re staring at the ceiling or simply lying there with your eyes closed, wishing you were actually sleeping as your thoughts are racing, it’s possible a bedtime yoga routine could help.

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There are several reasons why yoga could improve your slumber. Studies concluded that yoga improves the immune response and increases melatonin levels, which is known as the sleep hormone. Practicing yoga also improved the daytime symptoms of chronic insomnia. Yoga involves stretching your muscles, breathing mindfully, and focusing on being present in the moment. 

Tai Chi

Tai chi was another top contender in this large meta-analysis. This gentle martial art is similar to yoga in the sense that it involves stretching, breath control, and enhancing flexibility. In the study, tai chi boosted sleep time by around an hour when people self-reported results and by thirty minutes when participants measured with a sleep device.

Doing tai chi also reduced the amount of time people took to fall asleep and enhanced the quality of their slumber. Additional research backs this up, revealing that this form of exercise boosts sleep quality in healthy adults and in individuals with chronic conditions.

Jogging

While the meta-analysis showed that jogging wasn’t as potent a sleep aid as yoga or tai chi, it was still near the top of the list in third place. Jogging improved sleep duration and how quickly people drifted off to dreamland more so than other physical activities, including strength training.

Aerobic exercise is an excellent choice for prompting your body to release those feel-good endorphins and neurotransmitters that reduce stress and anxiety, which could put you in a better place for deeper sleep. Interestingly, after a workout, your body drops in body temperature, which can also help you drift off, so long as you aren’t exercising too intensely too close to bedtime.

Steph Green (Steph Zee) is a singer-songwriter and professional writer with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and… Read Full Bio
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