Sep 25, 2008 11:24 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: T'ai Chi For The Sleep-Deprived
Chinese Martial Art Working Wonders For Those Who Can't Fall Asleep Or Continually Wake Up At All Hours
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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A man performs t'ai chi exercise in a park in Beijing (file).
AP
Sleep is so hard to come by these days, but a natural technique is making getting those zzz's a little easier. And while this treatment for insomnia is relatively new, the approach dates back thousands of years.
"The practice of t'ai chi significantly improves sleep quality," said psychiatrist Michael Irwin.
T'ai chi is a 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art that combines flowing movements with meditation.
CBS 2 HD spoke to two women who started doing it when they joined a study for people suffering from sleep problems.
"I'd say I was probably sleeping maybe three hours a night. I just could not turn off my mind," Lynn Gadal said.
For Brigid Najera, the issue wasn't falling asleep, but staying asleep.
"I was waking up between 3 and 4 in the morning," Najera said.
Neither wanted to try medication because of possible side effects and both believed the problem stemmed from stress.
"Stress is really considered a key component for initiation of poor sleep," Dr. Irwin said.
Research shows breathing-focused exercises like yoga, meditation and t'ai chi help bring down adrenaline levels after long and active days. This can help people get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer.
With t'ai chi I am finding that it is so much easier to go to sleep," Gadal said.
"[I am] seldom waking up in the middle of the night," Najera added.
Irwin said the stress relief helps boost the immune system.
"We found that the practice of the t'ai chi can also lead to improvements in overall health functioning," Dr. Irwin said.
And better health overall helps the body -- day or night.
Studies are currently underway about the benefits of t'ai chi in people with illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis and breast cancer. It's thought to help with the emotional aspects of disease and improve the immune system.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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