One Form of Exercise Can Improve Sleep Long Term, Study Finds
November 29, 2025 | Source: Science Alert | by Jess Cockerill
As the years pass, it can become harder to get a good night’s rest. The most common sleep disorder in middle-aged and older adults is chronic insomnia, which for many translates to around three years of relatively sleepless nights.
A new study suggests a popular, gentle exercise may improve sleep as effectively as the top insomnia therapy.
Hong Kong University exercise physiologist Parco M. Siu and colleagues compared the first-line treatment for this sleep disorder, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), with regular sessions of tai chi.
Millions of people around the world practice tai chi, a low-impact martial art that originated in China, often referred to as ‘meditation in motion’.
Given that science has shown similar styles of exercise (as well as meditation and mindfulness) can benefit sleep, researchers suspected tai chi may be a useful companion to existing treatments.
The study recruited 200 ethnic-Chinese adults who were above the age of 50 and lived in Hong Kong. All participants had been diagnosed with chronic insomnia.