We’ve all been there—mind racing, tossing and turning, trying to pretend like it’s not 3 a.m. and you don’t have to get up for work in three hours. Trouble sleeping affects up to 30 percent of the population (with chronic insomnia affecting some 12 percent), and as all insomniacs can tell you, it’s brutal.
While cognitive behavior therapy and sleep medications have been shown to help, they’re not guaranteed cures (and you should really take the latter with a grain of salt). But there’s one habit that does make a measurable difference: exercise. And according to a big new meta-analysis—covering 22 studies and roughly 1,300 people—there are three forms in particular that lead to better slumber. Let’s break them down.
Yoga
Numerous other trials, studies, and surveys have found that this practice helps improve sleep, so it’s no surprise it came out on top in this recent analysis. The researchers found that it increased total sleep time by almost two hours, with evidence to suggest it also cut sleep latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep) by a full 30 minutes. One good explanation of why is that yoga involves stretching, muscle relaxation, and mindful breathing (along with mindfulness in general!), all of which have been shown to help sleep by reducing tension, calming the mind, and alleviating stress.
Tai chi
Much like yoga, this gentle martial art, which inspired waterbending in Avatar: The Last Airbender, combines flowing movements, stretching, and breath control. In the study, it was found to have increased sleep time by around an hour when self-reported (or thirty minutes when measured by a sleep device), and also generally improved latency and quality.
We’re still unclear as to how and why tai chi has this effect, but it seems to work by lowering arousal levels and generally promoting more body and mind balance. It also provides light aerobic activity, which can help sleep (more on that below). Plus, it can help regulate your moods, which may also contribute to healthier sleep overall.
Jogging
Jogging was found to be less of a powerful sleep aid than yoga or tai chi, but still helped improve sleep duration and latency more than the other activities in the study (such as strength training). Why? Aerobic exercise in general is linked to better sleep for several reasons. First, it releases endorphins and other neurotransmitters to lower stress and anxiety. Second, it plays a role in regulating circadian rhythms. And third, the drop in body temperature that occurs after a workout can help initiate sleep. However, timing here is really important: Intense exercise too close to bedtime can make it harder to sleep and has been linked with poorer sleep quality.
The bottom line: These three forms of exercise can be effective for managing insomnia, but keep in mind that you might need more specific help if you’re combating, say, hormonal insomnia. Either way, it can’t hurt to add some downward dogs to your routine. Sweet dreams!
Sofia Lodato (she/her) is the editorial assistant at Oprah Daily. Aside from reading, writing, and wellness, she is a lover of all things media-related, and can usually be found overanalyzing her latest favorite show, album, or video game.