This calming approach could ease a nighttime problem sleep experts say is experienced by at least 12% of Americans.
If you’ve ever experienced a night of little or no sleep, you know how frustrating it can be. But those experiencing chronic insomnia—when someone has trouble falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or longer, according to the National Library of Medicine—it’s repeatedly disruptive to daily life…and troublesome for health reasons. According to a 2024 survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, at least 12% of Americans have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia, which can lead to higher risks for developing Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and type 2 diabetes, along with an increased risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents.
Thankfully, there are many proven ways to combat insomnia, from lifestyle changes such as making your bedroom sleep-friendly with room-darkening shades and cooler temperatures to engaging in cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) or taking melatonin supplements. However, recent research suggests adding a simple, easy exercise might be just as helpful for managing chronic insomnia.
A November 2025 study published in The British Medical Journal found that practicing tai chi was found to be an effective way to manage chronic insomnia in middle-aged and older adults. Tai chi, first practiced in China, is a form of mind-body exercise that includes controlled breathing, slow, gentle movements, and a meditative state of mind, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
For the study, researchers in Hong Kong set out to see whether practicing tai chi was comparable to cognitive behavioral therapy, a preferred treatment for chronic insomnia. The study followed 200 adults aged 50 or older who were diagnosed with chronic insomnia and enrolled at a research center in Hong Kong between May 2020 and July 2022. The study participants were randomly divided into two groups, with one receiving cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia and the other tasked with tai chi sessions for one hour, twice a week for a total of 24 sessions.
The researchers used the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) to assess any changes in sleeping immediately after the three-month intervention, and again 12 months after that (or 15 months after the start of the study). The ISI is a screening tool that uses a seven-item questionnaire for participants to rate the severity and nature of their sleep problems. In this study, researchers asked participants to score their symptoms, such as difficulty falling and staying asleep, waking up too early and being unable to go back to sleep, and their impact on daily life.
Initially, at the three-month mark, cognitive behavioral therapy was more beneficial than tai chi, with the cognitive behavioral therapy group showing an 11.91-point reduction in ISI scores versus a 6.67-point reduction for the tai chi group. But at the 15-month follow-up, the scores had mostly evened out: the cognitive behavioral therapy group had a 10.18 point reduction while the tai chi group had a 9.51 point reduction.
“Our study supports tai chi as an alternative treatment approach for the long-term management of chronic insomnia in middle-aged and older adults,” the authors of the study said in a news release.
The authors also noted that the ongoing positive effects of tai chi may also have stemmed from study participants continuing to practice it even after the intervention period ended.
For daily wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:
- Brain Experts: 80% of Us Are Doing One Thing at Work That Exacerbates Insomnia
- I Fell Asleep at a Red Light—Then Was Diagnosed with a Condition Affecting 30 Million Americans
- 7 Types of Insomnia That Can Keep You Up at Night
- Research: Getting Fewer Than This Many Hours of Sleep Is Linked to a Shorter Lifespan
