From safetyandhealthmagazine.com
Practicing tai chi, a low-impact martial art that consists of a series of gentle movements, may help adults 50 and older manage chronic insomnia, researchers say.
A team led by researchers from the University of Hong Kong studied randomized trials involving 200 Chinese adults who were diagnosed with insomnia and didn’t partake in shift work.
Participants were enrolled in either tai chi or cognitive behavioral therapy, which the researchers call “the first line of treatment for managing chronic insomnia” given “its excellent treatment efficacy and minimal side effects.”
High costs and a lack of available therapists, however, create barriers to CBT, the researchers point out.
Findings show that, after 15 months, the reductions in Insomnia Severity Index scores among the tai chi and therapy groups were similar. The index is used to analyse symptoms including difficulty falling and staying asleep, waking up too early and being unable to fall back asleep, and impact on daily life.
The researchers also claim that tai chi and CBT carry similar benefits for quality of life, mental health and physical activity level.
“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 researchers said.
The study was published in the British Medical Journal.
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/struggling-with-insomnia-tai-chi-might-help/
