07/31/2025
3 Exercises That Quietly Rewire Your Brain for Deep Sleep
Reposted from superage.com
Edited, with comments by Susun
"Insomnia takes a toll on your body and your mind. Medications and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have long been standard treatments. [Unless you know which green allies can help.]
"A new, large-scale study published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine suggests that something as simple as moving your body might be just as effective, without the side effects or access barriers. [I have long countered the standard advice to limit exercise before bed. A stroll — even in your home — before bed, is my suggestion for deeper, better sleep.]
"Researchers conducted a network meta-analysis of 22 randomized controlled trials involving 1,348 participants and 13 different interventions for insomnia. Seven of those were exercise-based. [I'm impressed. That's a lot of data.]
"The top three? Tai Chi, yoga, and walking or jogging. Compared to usual care and even CBT, these forms of movement significantly improved sleep quality, duration, and efficiency, while reducing nighttime awakenings and how long it takes to fall asleep. [A short, calming session is best before sleep. Co**se pose. Quiet deep breathing. Cloud hands. No sweating. No elevated heart rate.]
"While cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) remains the gold standard for treating insomnia, it isn't always easy to access. Exercise-based interventions, on the other hand, are low-cost, widely available, and increasingly backed by science. [Yes.]
> "Tai Chi: This slow, flowing movement practice is a quiet powerhouse for sleep. People who practiced Tai Chi increased their total sleep time by more than 50 minutes per night and spent over 30 fewer minutes awake after falling asleep. On average, it helped people fall asleep 25 minutes faster. Many of these improvements persisted for up to two years, suggesting that Tai Chi not only soothes the nervous system in the short term but may also support lasting changes in sleep architecture. Tai Chi is a form of meditative movement that reduces hyperarousal in the nervous system, promotes emotional regulation, and may reduce inflammation, a common drivers of chronic insomnia. [You don't have to do tai chi just before bed, as the effects persist.]
> "Yoga: Yoga delivered the largest boost in total sleep time: nearly two additional hours per night! It also improved sleep efficiency by about 15 percent, helping people spend more of their time in bed actually sleeping. Participants experienced fewer nighttime awakenings and fell asleep nearly half an hour faster on average. Yoga integrates breath, movement, and focused attention. It's been shown to lower anxiety and depressive symptoms, likely by shifting brain chemistry and dampening stress responses. [Like tai chi, effects of yoga persist, so you don't have to do it right before bed. But how easy to go from co**se pose to sleep if you do it in the dark.]
> "Walking or Jogging: Walking and jogging stood out for reducing insomnia severity and improving how people felt during the day. Participants reported major improvements on the Insomnia Severity Index, dropping nearly 10 points, a clinically significant change. The mood-lifting and energy-regulating effects of steady movement likely play a role here, as walking and jogging may promote melatonin production and support deeper, more restorative sleep. [As you know, I believe in walking so much that I walk at least four miles every day.]
> "CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) continues to be the most widely recommended non-drug treatment for insomnia, and for good reason. It has consistently been shown to improve every aspect of sleep, from helping people fall asleep faster to reducing how often they wake up and increasing overall sleep duration. However, the availability of CBT remains a challenge for many, making accessible movement-based approaches an important and empowering alternative.
"CBT targets racing thoughts, unhelpful sleep behaviors, and conditioned arousal by retraining both mind and habit. Through techniques like sleep hygiene, stimulus control, sleep restriction, and cognitive reframing, CBT helps calm the brain's hyperactive sleep-wake system. Over time, it restructures the mental loops that keep you up at night, replacing anxiety and frustration with trust in your body's natural ability to rest.
< "The evidence is clear: consistent physical activity, especially when it calms the nervous system, can offer meaningful, lasting relief from insomnia. >
< "Choose the right movement for your needs:
For longer total sleep time and overall architecture improvement: try yoga.
For nighttime wake-ups or chronic arousal: Tai Chi may be most effective.
For fatigue, mood swings, or daytime dysfunction, consistent walking or jogging.
< "Start small. Stay consistent: Many of the interventions in the study lasted between 4 and 26 weeks. You don't need to commit to hour-long sessions, just find a rhythm that fits your life. Ten minutes of yoga before bed or a 20-minute morning walk is a solid start. [Great advice. And even two minutes counts.]
< "Track your sleep: Use a sleep diary or wearable to track how movement affects your sleep. Look for improvements in how quickly you fall asleep, how restful you feel, and how many times you wake up. [I am a Fitbit fan. I've worn a Fitbit tracker since they came out in 2009. I currently use Inspire 3, which tracks my sleep as well as my steps . . . My heart rate, my oxygen level, and more.]
< Think long-term.
While medications can offer short-term relief, movement-based therapies and CBT offer compounding benefits. Beyond sleep, these practices improve mood, reduce inflammation, and enhance overall health, core to aging well.
"Slow down into stillness. With every breath and step, you're not just moving your body, you're healing your sleep."
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It is in beauty.
(Yawn.)
It is a giveaway dance.
A dance of letting go.
(You are feeling very sleepy.)
Our hearts beat as one with the heartbeat of the earth.
Mother's heartbeat is the sound of safety.
(Your eyes relax. Your breathing deepens.)
Surrounded by green blessings.
Gratitude
Joy
(Sweet dreams)
