Yoga can help cancer survivors sleep, study says

Sleepless nights are common for cancer survivors. 30-50 percent of people who battled cancer have symptoms of insomnia months or even years after chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Yoga may be useful to help cancer survivors get back to sleep, according to a study released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

The study involved 410 cancer survivors, mostly women, who were treated in the last two years and have complained of sleep problems for at least two months. 75 percent of the subjects were recovering from breast cancer.

The participants were evenly split into two groups. Half went to low-intensity yoga sessions twice a week. Both groups also received the standard treatment for cancer survivors.

After a month, 31 percent of the cancer survivors who did yoga reported no problems sleeping. Only 16 percent of the control group said they were sleeping soundly.

Yoga participants reported substantially reduced fatigue and daytime sleepiness, along with a 20 percent reduction in sleep medication intake. People in the control group actually increased their use of sleep medications.

Researchers said it’s not clear why sleep problems improved for the yoga participants.

The results support the notion that yoga improves the quality of life for cancer survivors. Many of the top cancer hospitals in the U.S. already have yoga programs.

Hath and restorative yoga classes usually include breathing exercises, meditation and a variety of poses.

With practice, yoga can help reduce the stress that hinders sleep for non-cancer survivors.

Click here for a video demonstrating bedtime yoga moves that can help you sleep.

The AASM recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for breast cancer survivors with insomnia. The therapy helps patients develop habits that promote healthy sleep patterns by changing actions and thoughts that hurt their ability to sleep well.

Learn about insomnia due to medical condition on SleepEducation.com. Get help for a sleep problem at an AASM-accredited sleep center near you.

Image courtesy myyogaonline

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How Does Yoga Help You Sleep?

Yesterday the Globe and Mail examined how yoga helps you sleep.

Harvard assistant professor Sat Bir Khalsa, PhD, told the Globe and Mail that yoga helps reduce the stress that can hinder sleep.

“With time and practice, the stress system begins to quiet down,” he said.

What changes occur in the body during yoga? The NCCAM reports that it is unclear. But there is growing evidence that yoga enhances stress-coping mechanisms.

One study by Khalsa used yoga to help people with chronic insomnia. They had one in-person training session. Then they practiced yoga on their own for eight weeks. They also had brief follow-ups by phone and in person.

Results show that sleep improved in 20 people who completed the study. They fell asleep faster and slept longer.

A review he published found that most yoga research has been conducted and published in India. But researchers in the U.S. and England are starting to conduct more studies.

A yoga instructor also explained to the Globe and Mail that bedtime yoga is easy and convenient. She practices yoga techniques while in bed in her pajamas.

“It’s not a magic button,” she said. “But I know that I’m not just lying down there and tossing and turning – I’m restoring my body.”

The article also described the iRest program. It involves a form of yoga called “yoga nidra.” It reduces stress and promotes deep relaxation.

In 2006 the U.S. Department of Defense began testing the iRest protocol. It has been used to help soldiers who have PTSD.

Learn more about sleep and yoga. Read more about insomnia.

There are a variety of cognitive and behavioral methods that are effective for treating insomnia. Learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy on SleepEducation.com.

Image courtesy of the National Institute on Aging

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Can Yoga Help You Sleep Better?

The show eightWest on WOOD TV8 in Grand Rapids, Mich., did a feature on “Yoga for Better Sleep.” The five-minute segment shows some yoga moves that can help you relax for bedtime.



So can yoga really help you sleep better?

Last year the Sleep Education Blog reported on a small study from Northwestern University. It involved 11 adults with chronic primary insomnia. Sleep improved for those who practiced yoga and meditation for two months.

A recent study from India evaluated “cyclic meditation.” This technique combines yoga postures with periods of lying down on your back to rest.

Thirty men practiced cyclic meditation twice during the same day. On another day they had two sessions of rest without the yoga postures.

The study found that the men had more deep, slow-wave sleep after cyclic meditation. They also had fewer awakenings. And they felt that their sleep was more refreshing.

There are a variety of cognitive and behavioral methods that are effective for treating insomnia. Learn more about cognitive behavioral therapy on SleepEducation.com.

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