HARBIN: A high-intensity yoga class can be the answer if you’re having trouble sleeping well. A lengthy run or a big weightlifting session might not help. Researchers from Harbin Sport University in China recently released a meta-analysis in the journal Sleep and Biological Rhythms. It implies that this type of exercise might be the best way to improve sleep quality.
The full study looked at data from 30 randomized controlled studies, which included over 2,500 people from more than a dozen nations who had trouble sleeping. The results were strong: doing high-intensity yoga for less than 30 minutes twice a week helped people sleep better than other exercises including walking, weight training, and aerobic workouts. The good results were also evident rather fast, during 8 to 10 weeks.
The authors of the study don’t say for sure why these outcomes happened, but they think that yoga’s unique mix of physical and mental parts is the key. High-intensity yoga, like other types of exercise, raises the heart rate and strengthens muscles. People think that its focus on controlling the breath is quite strong, though. Yoga can stimulate the parasympathetic nerve system, which is the body’s “rest and digest” state, by focusing on deep, controlled breathing. This can provide a deep sensation of peace that is very helpful for getting better sleep.
The researchers say that this “mind-body” link may be what makes yoga better than other types of exercise. The study emphasizes that although all exercise is often advantageous for sleep, the integration of physical exertion and mental calm inherent in high-intensity yoga may render it an ideal option.
The authors of the study, on the other hand, underline the need for caution when interpreting the results. They say that additional research is needed to properly understand how certain workouts affect sleep in the long run. They stress that there is no one-size-fits-all answer and that the best activity for sleep is generally the one that a person enjoys and can stick with.