New study: Sleep problems? These sports bring improvement

If you don't sleep well, you'll not only be tired the next day, but also less productive. Chronic sleep disorders can even be harmful to your health in the long run. But before you resort to pills, it's worth taking a look at a new meta-analysis: Certain types of exercise can effectively relieve insomnia – and they're easy to implement, have few side effects, and are inexpensive.

As a network meta-analysis from Peking University shows, gentle forms of exercise such as yoga, tai chi, walking, and jogging have particularly positive effects on sleep quality. The researchers analyzed the results of 22 randomized clinical trials with more than 1,300 participants—all diagnosed with sleep problems. The goal was to determine which forms of exercise best help with difficulty falling asleep, nighttime waking, and non-restorative sleep.