If you struggle to fall asleep at night, you’ve probably already tried everything you can think of to drift off with ease. You’ve sipped the sleep teas, hung blackout curtains, and listened to every color of noise imaginable.
And for many people, that works! But others still find themselves tossing and turning. If this is the case for you, it might be time to try something new: tai chi.
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese practice that blends gentle movement, controlled breathing, and mindful focus, and it can be a great tool to calm your mind and body. Here’s an insider look at what tai chi is, the science behind its sleep benefits, and a few beginner-friendly moves you can try tonight.
Tai chi is a movement practice that originated centuries ago as a martial art, but has evolved over time into a wellness practice that emphasizes balance and calm. It’s meant to ground and steady you, which can be especially helpful before bedtime.
The movements are usually done in a series, almost like a slow-motion dance. The routines are specifically built around simple, repetitive motions that you can follow without pressure to do it perfectly.
What makes it unique is how it engages both the body and the mind. As your muscles move, your breathing slows, and your attention shifts inward. Many people even describe tai chi as a form of “moving meditation.”
Over time, this combination of physical relaxation and mental focus can create a sense of calm that carries over into how you fall asleep and how deeply you rest.
Research shows that tai chi can help improve both your sleep quality and the length of time you sleep, especially if you struggle with insomnia or restless nights. Here are five reasons why:
It calms the mind and body together: Tai chi has been shown to improve heart rate variability and reduce anxiety. This can make it easier to move into deeper, more restorative sleep.
Tai chi might look graceful and complex when you see experienced practitioners do it, but you don’t need to master a full routine to get the sleep benefits. Just a few simple movements can help signal to your body that it’s time to unwind.
Here are five beginner-friendly ones you can try before bed.
This move encourages rhythmic breathing and gently releases tension in the shoulders and spine, which can carry a lot of daytime stress.
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then slowly shift your weight from one leg to the other while your arms float side to side in front of your body, as if you’re brushing clouds across the sky.
This flowing motion stretches your chest and shoulders while creating a natural rhythm between breath and movement.
How to do it: Step one foot forward, bend your knees slightly, and hold your arms in front of your chest as if cradling a ball. Then extend one hand forward and the other back, switching sides as you step.
This posture can ground you when you feel scattered.
How to do it: Stand tall with knees slightly bent, then curve your arms in front of you, as though you’re wrapping them around a tree. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your breath steady as you do this.
This move coordinates your breath with motion, encouraging a slow release of mental clutter.
How to do it: Step back with one foot while gently pushing one palm forward, then alternate sides in a slow and controlled rhythm.
End your practice with a closing gesture. This tells the body that it’s safe to rest, and it creates a natural transition to sleep.
How to do it: Bring your hands together in front of your chest, then slowly let them drift down to your sides as you exhale. Pause for a moment in stillness to end the practice.
This practice works best when it feels simple and repeatable — something you can do even when you don’t have a ton of energy. Here are a few ways you can make tai chi a part of your wind-down routine.
Just two to five minutes can be enough to shift your nervous system. To make it a habit, try anchoring it to something you already do, like brushing your teeth.
Aim to start your practice 20–45 minutes before bed, or use a quick two-move “micro-sequence” if you wake up during the night.
Clear a corner of your room, dim the lights, and put on quiet or calming music.
💙 Sleepy Lo-Fi music is perfect for helping you slow down and settle in.
Get intentional with your inhales and exhales as you do the movement. You might count the breaths as you go, or just focus on steady nasal breathing with a relaxed belly.
A 10-minute routine could look like:
If needed, use a chair or wall for support. You can also shorten steps if your knees or hips feel tender. Remember, the goal is ease and not precision.
Related read: "Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good": 7 tips for perfectionists
Choose one or two moves you repeat nightly so your body associates them with rest. Then, over time, the routine itself can become a cue for sleep.
Try to do it a few times a week, but go easy on yourself if you don’t hit that goal right away. In general, progress looks like falling asleep a little faster, waking less often, and simply feeling calmer before bed.
💙 If you’re having trouble getting the rest you need, Prof. Megan Reitz’s When It’s Hard to Fall Asleep meditation can help.
Tai chi has been shown in multiple clinical studies to improve sleep quality, especially for people who experience insomnia and stress-related sleeplessness.
It works by calming your nervous system and reducing the physical tension that can keep you awake. But not only can it help you fall asleep more easily — it might also help you stay asleep.
Tai chi may help regulate the body’s stress response by lowering cortisol levels, slowing resting heart rate, and improving “heart rate variability” — a measure of relaxation.
The steady movements and controlled breathing can help shift your body into a parasympathetic state, or the “rest and digest” state. It’s also been shown to reduce anxiety, ease depressive symptoms, and help strengthen your body’s circadian rhythm, all of which support more restorative sleep.
Even 5–10 minutes of tai chi before bed can help quiet your racing mind and tell your body it’s time to wind down. If you have more time, 15–20 minutes can deepen the relaxation response.
The key is to be consistent. When you create a routine around it, your body learns to associate it with sleep.
You don’t need any experience to try tai chi for sleep. In fact, tai chi is often recommended for beginners because the movements are slow, gentle, and forgiving.
If you’re new, start with easy moves such as “wave hands like clouds” or “closing form.”. Over time, you can expand into longer sequences if you enjoy them.
Both yoga and tai chi have been shown to improve sleep, but they work in slightly different ways. Yoga often focuses on stretching and holding poses, which can help release physical tension and quiet your mind.
On the other hand, tai chi emphasizes flowing movement and rhythmic breathing, which can feel gentler on the joints and easier to sustain right before bed. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. It just comes down to which practice feels more natural and soothing for you.
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