Unrolling a yoga mat and moving in time with your breathing may be among the most effective forms of exercise for improving sleep over the long term, recent research suggests.
A meta-analysis of 30 randomised controlled trials found regular, high-intensity yoga to have a stronger link with better sleep than walking, resistance training, combined exercise, aerobic activity, or traditional Chinese practices such as qi gong and tai chi.
The trials reviewed were conducted in more than a dozen countries and included over 2,500 people of all ages experiencing sleep disturbances.
Watch the clip below for a research summary:
High-intensity yoga and sleep quality
After analysing the data, researchers at Harbin Sport University in China concluded that high-intensity yoga sessions lasting under 30 minutes, performed twice weekly, were the most effective exercise remedy for poor sleep.
Walking ranked as the second most beneficial type of physical activity, with resistance exercise next. Improvements were observed after as little as eight to 10 weeks.
Published in 2025, these results differ somewhat from a 2023 meta-analysis, which identified aerobic exercise or moderate-intensity exercise undertaken three times weekly as the most effective approach for improving sleep quality among people with sleep disturbances.
However, one study included in that earlier review did find that yoga produced more substantial effects on sleep outcomes than other forms of exercise.
Yoga is also difficult to classify neatly as either aerobic or anaerobic exercise, while its intensity may differ considerably according to the technique being practised.
Variations between yoga practices may help account for the differing outcomes reported from one trial to another.
Why yoga could support better sleep
The latest meta-analysis cannot establish why yoga might be especially helpful for sleep, although there are several possible explanations.
As well as elevating the heart rate and challenging the muscles, yoga can regulate breathing. Research suggests that controlling the breath may activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is involved in 'rest and digestion'.
Some research also indicates that yoga may regulate patterns of brainwave activity, potentially encouraging deeper sleep.
Although strong evidence shows exercise generally benefits sleep, there remains a shortage of research comparing individual exercises and their long-term effects.
"Caution should be exercised when interpreting findings from studies on sleep disturbances, given the limited number of studies included and the unique characteristics of the sleep disturbances population," explain the researchers at Harbin Sport University.
"Further, high-quality research is needed to confirm these findings."
Bodies and brains differ from person to person, so there is no single guaranteed solution for insomnia or other sleep disturbances.
Working up a sweat on a yoga mat is only one exercise option, but these encouraging findings indicate it may produce impressive results.
"This research encompassed a comprehensive analysis of 30 studies that systematically evaluated the impact of various exercise regimens on enhancing the sleep quality of individuals experiencing sleep disturbances using network meta-analysis techniques," the researchers concluded.
"The findings suggest that a yoga exercise prescription, conducted twice weekly for 8–10 weeks, lasting ≤ 30 min per session, and of high intensity, is the most effective approach for improving the sleep quality of individuals with sleep disturbances."
Whether this routine is the most effective one for you can only be determined by trying it.
Tai chi may also improve sleep
A separate study published in 2025 found that tai chi improved sleep and was comparable with cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I).
At the end of the experiment, participants given CBT-I reported a larger reduction in insomnia symptoms than those in the tai chi group. The changes were measured with the Insomnia Severity Index, a widely used seven-question screening tool.
Yet when participants were assessed again 15 months later, the tai chi group had 'caught up', with gains in sleep quality and duration, quality of life, mental health, and physical activity levels matching those of the CBT-I group.
This may indicate that tai chi’s accessibility and the ease with which it can fit into daily life support its longer-term effectiveness.
As with yoga, the research indicates that joining tai chi classes may help people achieve a better night’s sleep, particularly over the long term and alongside existing therapies.
The yoga study was published in Sleep and Biological Rhythms.
An earlier version of this article was published in August 2025.
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