Does Sleep Elude You?

Often when we are stressed or just can't stop thinking about things, it's difficult to get to sleep. Or sometimes when we wake in the middle of the night we experience the same.
Here's some good news from AARP how Tai Chi has been shown in this study to help with sleep problems.

Staying Sharp - Tai Chi and Sleep
A Simple Routine may help
By: Phil Scott | Source: NRTA Live & Learn | THURSDAY, October 9, 2008

"WHEN YOU THINK OF USING MARTIAL ARTS, it’s usually to wreak havoc among the muscular and the dim-witted—and perhaps any random masked Ninjas out causing trouble. But a new study shows that one particular martial art can also help improve your sleep. Dr. Michael Irwin, the Norman Cousins Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and director of the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, studied a group of 112 healthy, older adults between the ages of 59 and 86, randomly assigning them to two groups. One practiced 20 tai chi moves for 25 weeks, and one took classes in healthy lifestyles, including sleep hygiene, for the same period of time. At the end of the study, published in the scientific journal Sleep in July 2008, the class that performed tai chi reported a significant improvement in the quality of their sleep on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a self-rated questionnaire."

Tai Chi Can Reduce Knee Pain, Research Concludes

December 14, 2009 by Personal Liberty News Desk

A new study, conducted by researchers from Tufts University, has found that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis (OA) can improve their physical function and experience pain relief through regular tai chi exercise.

The study, published in the November issue of Arthritis Care and Research, followed 40 patients over a 12-week period with confirmed knee OA who were in otherwise good health.

Researchers split the participants into two sections; the study group was asked to participate in 60 minute Yang style tai chi sessions twice weekly, while the control group attended standard physical therapy and education classes.

At the end of the 12 weeks, patients practicing tai chi reported a significant decrease in knee pain compared to those who went through ordinary knee therapy.

"Our observations emphasize a need to further evaluate the biologic mechanisms and approaches of tai chi to extend its benefits to a broader population," concluded Chenchen Wang, author of the study.

The Mayo Clinic reports that tai chi can reduce anxiety and depression, improve balance, flexibility and muscle strength as well as lower blood pressure.