A new review of studies has found that performing high-intensity yoga twice a week can significantly improve sleep quality within 8 to 10 weeks. Researchers from Harbin Sport University in China assessed data from 30 individual clinical trials involving 2,576 participants across all age groups.
The study compared the effects of different workouts including yoga, walking, resistance training, and traditional Chinese practices like qi gong and tai chi. The findings revealed that high-intensity yoga offers the best sleep improvement, followed by walking and resistance exercise.
While the exact reason why yoga is beneficial for sleep quality is not clear, previous studies suggest that it may activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls digestion and rest. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings.
In contrast, exercising within four hours of bedtime can negatively impact sleep patterns, with a full-intensity workout ending two hours before bed delaying sleep onset by over 30 minutes and reducing overall sleep duration by more than 20 minutes.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/exercises-to-improve-sleep-yoga-b2811439.html