The American Academy of Sleep Medicine generally recommends medication, behavioral modification and psychological therapy to treat insomnia. There has never been sufficient evidence to suggest exercise as a way to boost sleep. However, a new review published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine journal looked at 22 previously published studies, combining the information of more than 1,300 participants. It found that yoga, tai chi, walking and jogging, along with other gentle forms of exercise, can ease insomnia.
“Insomnia can impact everyday life and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases [like heart disease and stroke] and Alzheimer’s… and exercise is nature’s sleeping pill,” said Dr. Zhijun Bu, the lead author of the study and master student at Beijing Univ. of Chinese Medicine.
Dr. Bu recommended trying out different things if you struggle with sleep. Different exercises appeared to impact the body separately. Walking or jogging might be best for someone who is always fatigued, as they can help you fall asleep fast.
The researchers found that gentle exercise helped people fall asleep faster, sleep longer and wake up less. For some people, it was more effective than therapy. Yoga improved overall sleep time by two hours, while cardiovascular exercise helped people drift off 30 minutes sooner.
If you have a chronic problem, tai chi may be best for you. The impacts of the exercise lingered for two years. If you are having a short-term sleep issue, walking might be best. People who walked or jogged saw marked improvement for seven months.
But the term “more pain, more gain” has no place when it comes to getting sleep! High-intensity exercise, like running and heavy lifting, was not seen to improve sleep. Walking, tai chi and yoga are low-impact forms of exercise that most people can do, and this may be a big step in helping people improve their sleep at home for free.
Sleep medications can have side effects and cause dependency. As insomnia impacts up to 22 percent of Americans, finding a way to treat it without expensive trips to the doctor’s office and pharmacy is a must. Taking time to walk and stretch can improve your shut-eye. So, if you have been struggling with sleep and don’t have a specific reason why, try getting out for a walk or a jog before reaching for a sleep aid. It could help you significantly!
