One Form of Exercise Improves Sleep The Most, Study Reveals

Meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials from more than a dozen countries included over 2,500 participants of all ages with sleep disturbances.

Regular, high-intensity yoga produced the largest sleep improvements compared with walking, resistance training, combination exercise, aerobic exercise, and traditional Chinese exercises.

Harbin Sport University (China) reported that sessions under 30 minutes, twice weekly were most effective; positive changes were seen in as few as 8–10 weeks.

The findings were published in 2025; walking was the next most effective activity, followed by resistance exercise.

Possible mechanisms include yoga’s regulation of brainwave patterns and breath-control activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digestion).