A meta-analysis is currently doing the rounds that shows yoga to be particularly sleep-promoting and helpful for sleep disorders. Over 30 randomized studies with more than 2,500 participants were evaluated, and indeed: yoga performed best compared to walking, strength training or endurance training.
Sounds like the perfect solution? But as always, it depends.
First:
What the studies really reveal
Yes: Yoga has positive effects on sleep problems, definitely!
However, despite the large number of studies, their significance remains limited.
Why?
- Yoga is not a clearly defined standard. Intensity, style, experience – everything varies massively, but is often sold as “the solution”.
- The studies were aimed at people with sleep disorders. This means that for people with chronic stress, mental health issues or serious sleep/psychiatric problems, yoga alone may not be enough. There is evidence that some forms of exercise (or certain life circumstances) suggest too simple a solution.
- Yoga was found to be effective in terms of sleep when practiced at least consistently, twice a week, for about 30 minutes over several weeks.
- The meta-analysis itself emphasizes that more high-quality research is needed.
Yoga: useful – but often misclassified
From my personal point of view, one of the biggest misunderstandings arises right here:
Yoga is often sold as a therapy. But it is not. First and foremost, yoga is a teaching that comprises a series of mental and physical exercises and practices such as yama, niyama, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, kriyas, meditation and asceticism. In a nutshell, you could also say that it originated as an ancient mindset concept for mastering the senses, which over time also incorporated supplementary and expanding movements, but it is not a form of therapy. The biggest difference: therapy is time-limited, yoga is not, and you have to be aware of that.
Used consistently, it can improve sleep because it contains processes that, when performed optimally, regulate body awareness, breathing and the nervous system. However, yoga does not “heal” deep-rooted causes in a modular system so that you can then return to “normal mode”. Those with severe sleep problems, trauma, neurological disorders or massive stress levels generally need other levels of support. Yoga can provide support, but not replace it.
Yoga as a self-esteem trap?
I have already mentioned it, the consistency that is necessary to massively increase the chance of benefits, also in terms of sleep. It is precisely this consistency and the associated discipline that are often underestimated, especially as people with sleep disorders have less energy for the day anyway. Yoga often goes hand in hand with a life change, and those who are not up to it can end up disappointed, lacking energy and struggling with even more sleep disorders, as yoga teachers are not experts in sleep disorders or change processes and their effects.
Of course, this “trap” is not only found in yoga, but also in other teachings or methods of expanding consciousness. And in the end, it all depends on the professionalism and seriousness of the person providing the guidance.
When yoga helps – and when it doesn’t
Yoga is helpful when:
- Sleep problems are caused by stress, physical tension or mental overload.
- you are prepared to practise regularly, consistently and with discipline.
- yoga is understood as a process, not as a “solution quickie”.
Yoga is not sufficient if:
- the sleep problems are deeply rooted or medically justified.
- you do yoga sporadically “for a change”.
- it is misunderstood as a substitute for therapy.
- you are not yet ready for a fundamental mindset shift.
Conclusion
Yoga is not a miracle cure – but it is a powerful tool in the health toolbox. Those who practise it consistently often also benefit when it comes to sleep. Anyone who sells or consumes it as a substitute for therapy is raising false hopes.
IMPORTANT! Even experienced yogi teachers are not usually sleep or even chronobiology professionals, just as sleep and chronobiology experts are not usually qualified yoga teachers. But, and this is important for me to emphasize at the end, there is a lot of potential in the interdisciplinary mix that still too few yoga teachers or sleep experts use.
Especially at a time when quick solutions dominate, it is important to take a sober approach:
Yoga offers a lot of potential when it comes to sleep disorders, but it must be assessed professionally, interdisciplinary and above all individually, otherwise it can be counterproductive.
Sources and further links
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga
Carly Cassella, “One Form of Exercise Improves Sleep The Most, Study Finds,” ScienceAlert 2025, https://www.sciencealert.com/one-form-of-exercise-improves-sleep-the-most-study-finds
Li, L., An, J., Wang, D. et al. Which exercise prescription is most effective for patients with sleep disorders?: a network meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 23, 355-372 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41105-025-00596-7
