Can’t Sleep? These 4 Exercises Can Beat Insomnia, New Research Shows
Can’t sleep? Join the growing club. Nearly 30 million Americans have acute or chronic insomnia, reports the American Medical Association (AMA). The crippling condition can result in daytime fatigue, poor sleep quality, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, and more.
To help manage their symptoms, patients are often prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine, but many find these to be clunky, costly, and annoying to upkeep. Fortunately, a new study published in the journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine has found that some specific—and free—exercises can help alleviate your insomnia. Let’s break down what these activities are and how effective they were found to be at curing sleep issues.
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A wide-ranging study tested 13 different treatments for insomnia
The meta-analysis, which was published on July 15, analyzed 22 different studies involving 1,348 participants who underwent 13 different treatments for insomnia.
More than half of these treatments were tied to exercise and lasted anywhere from four to 26 weeks in length.
These included:
- Yoga
- Tai chi
- Walking
- Jogging
- Strength training
- Aerobic and strength exercises
- A combination of aerobic exercise and therapy
- Mixed aerobic exercises
The other six interventions, which ran from six to 26 weeks, ranged from acupuncture to lifestyle fixes.
These included:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Sleep hygiene
- Ayurveda
- Acupuncture and massage
- Existing treatment (standard lifestyle modifications)
- No treatment
In a comparison analysis of all 13 treatments, researchers scored participants’ sleep quality, insomnia severity, total sleep time, sleep efficiency, frequency of mid-sleep awakenings, and sleep latency (how long it took to fall asleep) to determine which methods were most effective.
Overall, cognitive behavioral therapy showed the most promise. Researchers reported a strong correlation between CBT and an increase in total sleep time as well as a decrease in mid-sleep awakenings.
However, compared with active controls, there were four exercise treatments that proved exceptionally helpful against insomnia symptoms.
Walking, jogging, yoga, and Tai chi proved best for insomnia symptoms
According to the study’s findings, insomnia conditions improved the most in participants who engaged in walking, jogging, yoga, or Tai chi.
The results showed:
- Yoga increased total sleep time by nearly 111 minutes
- Yoga improved sleep efficiency by roughly 15%, reduced wake after sleep onset, and shortened sleep latency
- Tai chi increased total sleep time by 52 minutes, reduced wake after sleep onset, and shortened sleep latency by 25 minutes
- Walking and jogging led to better sleep scores
- Over two years, Tai chi was linked to the best overall sleep health outcomes, compared to all treatments
This isn’t the first time Tai chi has received such high scores for improving sleep quality.
A research paper published in 2023 also revealed that Tai chi can enhance overall sleep quality in insomnia patients. Data showed it can significantly “reduce sleep latency, improve sleep efficiency, [and] relieve sleep disorders and daytime dysfunction.” Plus, there was a reduction in hypnotic drugs (like sleeping pills) as well as improvements in negative emotions associated with depression and anxiety.
As for the current study, the study authors concluded: “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 programs.”
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The takeaway
Gentle exercises, such as walking, jogging, yoga, and Tai chi, can improve insomnia symptoms when practiced for at least four weeks.
These activities are low-maintenance and relatively inexpensive compared to other solutions that cost money or require equipment.
“The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia,” the study authors wrote.
If you’re struggling with sleep, talk to your doctor to see if taking up a new exercise program can help.