There is a growing body of research on the benefits of yoga and meditation for sleep. The good news is that these practices can help reduce stress and improve your overall quality of sleep.
These exercises have been shown to promote restful sleep by reducing anxiety, stress and feelings of depression by helping you relax and de-clutter your mind.
In the study published in the journal International Journal of Yoga published at the National Library of Medicine, researchers found that people who practiced yoga experienced better sleep quality than those who did not practice their form of relaxation.
Yoga was also found to promote longer periods of deep sleep, while meditation promoted more REM sleep, which is associated with dreaming.
The studies also showed that these practices helped people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer than those who took a placebo — which could explain why people who meditate or do yoga usually wake up feeling refreshed after a good night's sleep.
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