Yoga, tai chi, jogging, and even a simple walk could be the most effective forms of exercise to combat the sleep disorder, insomnia, a new study suggests.
Researchers advocate for these activities, noting their suitability for patient recommendation due to their low cost and minimal side-effects.
Insomnia, characterised by persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep, or frequent nocturnal awakenings, can significantly impair daily life, leading to issues with concentration, fatigue, and irritability.
To ascertain the efficacy of various physical activities on sleep quality and insomnia, researchers in China conducted a comprehensive analysis of 22 trials.
The review encompassed 1,348 patients and evaluated 13 distinct measures aimed at improving sleep, including seven specific exercise regimens: yoga, tai chi, walking or jogging, combined aerobic and strength exercise, strength training alone, aerobic exercise paired with therapy, and mixed aerobic exercises.
The study found that yoga, in particular, resulted in an increase in sleep time of almost two hours, and could also cut the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by nearly an hour.
Walking or jogging could reduce insomnia severity, while tai chi could boost sleep quality.
According to researchers, yoga’s focus on body awareness and controlled breathing could help with symptoms of anxiety and depression to help people get a good night’s sleep.
Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements, “emphasises breath control and physical relaxation”, they added, and could boost emotional regulation.
Elsewhere, the study suggests walking or jogging could reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles.
Researchers said: “The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia.
“Given the advantages of exercise modalities such as yoga, tai chi, and walking or jogging – including low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility – these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programmes.”
Researchers stressed there were some “methodological limitations” to some of the trials included in the analysis.
However, they said the study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, “provides comprehensive comparative evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving sleep outcomes among individuals with insomnia”.
They also called for large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm and extend their findings.
Other non-exercise-based approaches in the trials included the likes of cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT), acupuncture, massage and lifestyle changes.
A number of trials found CBT is “more effective and has a longer-lasting impact on insomnia than medication”, researchers said.
However, they highlighted a number of “barriers” to CBT, including a lack of trained professionals.
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