One Form of Exercise Improves Sleep The Most, Study Reveals

Key Points:

• A meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials involving over 2,500 participants found that regular, high-intensity yoga practiced twice a week for less than 30 minutes is more effective at improving sleep quality than walking, resistance training, aerobic exercise, or traditional Chinese exercises like tai chi and qi gong.
• The research, conducted by Harbin Sport University in China, showed positive sleep improvements in as few as 8 to 10 weeks, though the exact mechanisms behind yoga’s benefits remain unclear, with possible factors including breath regulation and activation of the parasympathetic nervous system.
• These findings contrast somewhat with a 2023 meta-analysis that favored aerobic or mid-intensity exercise three times weekly for sleep improvement, highlighting variability in yoga’s intensity and classification as aerobic or anaerobic exercise.
• Another 2025 study found tai chi to be comparably effective to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) in improving long-term sleep quality, suggesting accessibility and lifestyle integration may enhance its sustained benefits.
• Researchers caution that more high-quality studies are needed to confirm these results, emphasizing that individual responses to exercise and sleep interventions vary, and no single approach guarantees improvement for all with sleep disturbances.