Which form of exercise improves sleep best?

This may be one of the best exercises to improve sleep in the long run.

Regular high-intensity yoga practice can improve sleep - Photo: FREEPIK

According to Science Alert , a meta-analysis found that regular high-intensity yoga practice can improve sleep more than walking, resistance training, aerobics, or qigong and tai chi.

The trials included in the analysis came from more than 12 countries and involved more than 2,500 participants with sleep problems of all ages.

When researchers at Harbin Sport University in China analyzed the data, they found that doing high-intensity yoga for less than 30 minutes, twice a week, was the most effective exercise for overcoming poor sleep.

Walking is the next best form of physical activity. Positive results have been seen in as little as 8 to 10 weeks.

These findings are somewhat inconsistent with a 2023 meta-analysis, which found that aerobic exercise, or moderate-intensity exercise three times a week, was the most effective way to improve sleep quality in people with sleep disorders.

However, one of the studies included in the analysis found that yoga had a more significant impact on sleep outcomes, compared with other types of exercise.

This latest meta-analysis cannot explain why yoga is particularly beneficial for sleep, but several possibilities are suggested.

Yoga not only increases your heart rate and stimulates your muscles, but it also has the ability to regulate your breathing. Research shows that controlling your breathing can activate your parasympathetic nervous system, the system associated with “rest and digest.”

Some studies even suggest that yoga can regulate brainwave activity, promoting deeper sleep.

However, despite strong evidence that exercise in general benefits sleep, studies comparing specific exercises and their long-term effects are limited.

“We need to be cautious when interpreting findings from sleep disorder studies,” warn researchers at Harbin Sport University. Everyone’s body and brain are different, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution to insomnia or other sleep disorders.

The study was published in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms .

DAWN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hinh-thuc-tap-luyen-nao-cai-thien-giac-ngu-tot-nhat-20250822231835545.htm