Yoga Is 'Significantly Superior' For Sleep, According to New Research

Exercise is an important factor in getting a good night's sleep, but it's unclear which types of exercise have the greatest effects.

From resistance training and HIIT (high-intensity interval training) to tai chi and Pilates, research is beginning to show that not all forms of exercise are created equal when it comes to tackling sleep disruption.

A recent meta-analysis comparing different workouts according to their effects on sleep identified one stand-out: high-intensity yoga.
Bringing together data from 30 randomized controlled trials, researchers at the Harbin Sport University in China found that regular yoga has the strongest association with improvements to sleep, over walking, combination exercise, aerobic exercise, or traditional Chinese exercises, like qi gong and tai chi.

The trials involved over 2,500 participants with sleep disturbances across all age groups, from more than a dozen different countries.
Of all forms of exercise included in the study, the researchers found that two high-intensity yoga sessions each week, lasting up to 30 minutes, was the "optimal exercise prescription" for poor sleep.

"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."
High-intensity yoga is quite distinct from the gentle, slow movements you might associate with yoga: it involves a much faster flow between poses that harness your own body weight to create resistance.
Next in the ranks was walking, followed by resistance training (also known as strength training, which includes workouts like Pilates and weight lifting).

The researchers also found that the yoga regimen that worked best to improve sleep had a "significantly superior" effect compared to aerobic exercise.

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https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41105-025-00596-7