Yoga, tai chi, walking and jogging best ways to tackle insomnia
People with insomnia regularly have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wake several times during the night.
It can cause people to have difficulty concentrating or to be tired and irritable during the day.
To explore the effectiveness of different workouts on sleep quality and insomnia, researchers in China analysed 22 trials.
The review included 1,348 patients and 13 different measures to boost sleep, including seven exercises: yoga, tai chi; walking or jogging; aerobic plus strength exercise; strength training alone; aerobic exercise combined with therapy; and mixed aerobic exercises.
The study found that yoga, in particular, resulted in an increase in sleep time of almost two hours, and could also cut the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by nearly an hour.
Walking or jogging could reduce insomnia severity, while tai chi could boost sleep quality.
According to researchers, yoga's focus on body awareness and controlled breathing could help with symptoms of anxiety and depression to help people get a good night's sleep.
Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements, 'emphasises breath control and physical relaxation', they added, and could boost emotional regulation.
Elsewhere, the study suggests walking or jogging could reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles.
Researchers said: 'The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia.
'Given the advantages of exercise modalities such as yoga, tai chi, and walking or jogging – including low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility – these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programmes.'
Researchers stressed there were some 'methodological limitations' to some of the trials included in the analysis.
However, they said the study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, 'provides comprehensive comparative evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving sleep outcomes among individuals with insomnia'.
They also called for large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm and extend their findings.
Other non-exercise-based approaches in the trials included the likes of cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT), acupuncture, massage and lifestyle changes.
A number of trials found CBT is 'more effective and has a longer-lasting impact on insomnia than medication', researchers said.
However, they highlighted a number of 'barriers' to CBT, including a lack of trained professionals.
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Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
From gangrene to deadly liver damage – the 92 conditions linked to going to bed after a specific time
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"Evidence suggests that sleep traits might be associated with a number of diseases affecting diverse systems, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental diseases," researchers wrote in Health Data Science. "However, in most publications to date, sleep has been measured by subjective recall of the participants, which has been found to bear systematic error in some aspects and may lead to misunderstanding of sleep's health impact. "Furthermore, the available literature has mainly focused on certain sleep traits, namely, sleep duration, while other traits such as sleep timing and sleep rhythm have less often been analysed." They said sleep regularity - such as going to bed at a consistent time and having stable circadian rhythms - is a little known but critical factor in disease risk. Researchers used data from 88,461 adults who took part in the UK Biobank study. Participants wore small sensors called accelerometers, which collected data on their bedtime, how long they slept a night and whether they woke up, for an average of about seven years. Scientists paired this information with data from NHS records, cancer registries and the National Death Index. I spent three days at a sleep retreat - these are the top 7 things I learnt They found that sleep habits picked up through the accelerometers played a significant role in the risk of developing certain diseases. Researchers studied 172 diseases. Researchers found that poor sleep habits can double the risk of certain diseases. For example, participants with the most irregular sleep patterns had more than double the risk of gangrene compared to those with consistent sleep routines Meanwhile, people who went to sleep after 12:30am had over double the risk of liver problems such as fibrosis and cirrhosis, compared to those who went to bed between 11:00 and 11:30 pm. For 92 diseases, at least 20 per cent of the risk was due to sleep traits and for 44 diseases, more than 30 per cent of the risk was linked to sleep factors. Examples included: Parkinson's disease, where the risk was linked to how consistent sleep was each day. Heart disease, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Type 2 diabetes, where the risk was linked to regular sleep timing. Obesity, where the risk was tied to balance between activity and rest. Overactive thyroid, where bedtime played a role. Urinary incontinence, where risk was linked to sleep quality. How bad sleep affects weight Previously in The Sun, experts explained how sleep is closely linked with weight. Disrupts hunger hormones Ghrelin is a hormone released after the brain signals the stomach is empty, while leptin is released from fat cells to suppress hunger - and tell the brain it's full. Studies have shown that when you don't get enough shut-eye, the body makes more ghrelin and less leptin - leaving you more hungry. One study of 12 men led by University of Chicago showed two days of sleep deprivation drove leptin levels in the blood down by 18 per cent, while increasing ghrelin by 28 per cent. The men reported a 24 per cent increase in their hunger and appetite compared to when they were given two restful nights. More time to eat The less you are asleep, the more you are awake. This gives more of an opportunity to eat. In the modern day world, people are awake for up to 17 hours at a time - 7am till 12pm. It leaves a huge window for being awake and eating. If you're struggling with both your weight and sleep, try finishing your meals three to four hours before bed time. That might mean limiting your eating window from 9am until 6pm. Reach for takeaways If you have a weird sleeping pattern, chances are your eating schedule is also off-whack. Struggling to sleep can see us turn to convenience - takeaways, ready meals, oven foods and more, whi;e being energised gives us more motivation to cook healthily. Eat more calories than normal Studies suggest that the less sleep you get, the more calorie-dense food you choose to eat. One study in Chicago found that men ate more food at a buffet after four consecutive night's of rough sleep compared with when they were rested. They consumed around 340 calories more, mostly because they ate more snacks and carbohydrate-rich food. Researchers from King's College London also found that adults consumed an additional 385 calories – the equivalent of one and a half Mars Bars – on days after they were deprived of kip by combining the results of 11 previous studies. More desire for food Foods, especially those high in calories, are more appetising when we are sleep deprived because we subconsciously know they will boost our energy. A German study showed the lengths sleepy people would go to for calorific snacks using 32 healthy men. After a normal dinner and either a restful or restless night's sleep, the men were given three Euros to spend on snacks and told to bid the maximum amount they were willing to spend on each item. When sleep deprived. participants were willing to pay extra for the junk food items - which they were allowed to eat afterwards - suggesting a stronger desire. Fat storage more likely Scientists have warned that not getting enough sleep changes how the body deals with food, which could then lead to weight gain. One study showed that men who ate a large bowl of chilli mac and cheese after four nights of bad sleep reacted differently to the food than those who were well-rested. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University said blood tests showed lipids (fats) from foods were cleared faster, suggesting they were being stored almost instantly. The process did not spring back to its normal rate even after the men were given a long night's sleep. The study also challenged previous claims that sleeping over nine hours each night is harmful. Previous research has suggested "long sleepers" could be at higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Researchers said "misclassification" may be to blame, as 21 per cent of 'long sleepers' actually slept less than six hours, suggesting that time spent in bed is often confused with actual sleep time. Prof Shengfeng Wang, senior author of the study, said: 'Our findings underscore the overlooked importance of sleep regularity. 'It's time we broaden our definition of good sleep beyond just duration.' The study team suggested that inflammation could be upping the risk of disease in people who sleep poorly, as disrupted sleep might trigger immune responses that contribute to illness. 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Scotsman
2 days ago
- Scotsman
Nurse Sandie Peggie names 13 colleagues she says agreed with her in trans changing room dispute
Nurse tells tribunal told NHS Fife workplace was 'very toxic' and admits using racial slurs Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sandie Peggie has named 13 colleagues who she alleged disagreed with a decision by NHS Fife to allow a transgender doctor to share a women's changing room. Ms Peggie also told an employment tribunal her workplace was 'very toxic'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The nurse was suspended after she complained about having to share a changing room with trans medic Dr Beth Upton at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on Christmas Eve 2023. 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She rejected a suggestion that terminology such as the word "bigot" was used in the department regarding attitudes towards gender. Dr Currer also said it was an "error" that she wrote in an email to colleagues that Ms Peggie had been referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council on January 5 2023, and added: "I was aware she hadn't been so that is indeed an error." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She added: "In hindsight I could have checked with medical staff whether or not they were going to be comfortable with Dr Upton using the female changing rooms. "No concerns were raised with me at the time; there are other spaces which people can use to change. "I'm still not sure that advertising Dr Upton's trans status would have been the right thing to do."
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Sandie Peggie tribunal hears racist jokes were dark humour
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