Archive · 17 Aug 2026
How yoga can help you sleep better at night
Many grown-ups have trouble sleeping at night.
Some take medicine to help them sleep.
But health experts say there is a better way.
Doing gentle yoga before bed can help your body relax.
Yoga is a kind of exercise that uses slow moves and deep breathing.
It helps lower stress and worry, which can keep you awake.
One big survey found that most people who do yoga sleep better.
Another study showed that people who practiced breathing and meditation for eight weeks slept about 36 minutes longer.
You don't need to be flexible to try it.
Simple poses like lying with your legs up the wall can help you feel calm and ready for bed.
Many adults with fragmented sleep or insomnia turn to medications, but experts suggest gentle pre-bed yoga as a natural alternative.
Yoga is said to improve sleep by reducing stress, anxiety, and arousal, which are known causes of poor rest.
A national survey found over 55% of yoga practitioners reported better sleep and over 85% reported reduced stress.
An eight-week study of a 30-minute evening breathing and meditation practice showed participants slept an average of 36 minutes longer each night.
Johns Hopkins Medicine reports that daily yoga can reduce insomnia, with Hatha or restorative styles recommended for pre-sleep routines.
- Who
- Adults struggling with fragmented sleep or insomnia, health experts, and researchers including Johns Hopkins Medicine.
- What
- Practicing gentle yoga before bed can improve sleep duration and quality by reducing stress and anxiety.
- When
- Recommended as an evening routine before bed; study results were observed after eight weeks.
- Where
- Not specified in the article.
- Why
- To address underlying causes of poor sleep such as chronic stress and anxiety, offering a natural alternative to sleep medications.
- Survey finding
- Over 55% of yoga practitioners reported better sleep
- Stress reduction
- Over 85% of yoga practitioners reported reduced stress
- Study duration
- 8 weeks
- Evening practice
- 30-minute breathing and meditation session
- Average extra sleep
- 36 minutes per night
- Sleep quality improvement
- 11%
- Recommended yoga styles
- Hatha or restorative yoga
- Research source
- Johns Hopkins Medicine