Does Style Matter: Comparison of Moderate- to Low-intensity Styles of Yoga

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if yoga works to improve sleep and heart health in adults with and without insomnia disorder. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the style of yoga impact participants heart health overnight? * Does the style of yoga improve participants sleep following a single session? Researchers will compare adults with insomnia disorder to adults with healthy sleep . Participants will: * Complete a moderate-intensity yoga practice, a low-intensity intensity yoga practice, and a quiet rest period while watching a nature documentary in the evening on three separate evenings * Participants will have their sleep and heart health measured using a watch and heart rate monitor overnight following each visit

Detailed Description

This study investigates how two different styles of yoga, vinyasa yoga and gentle yoga, impact sleep and heart health in adults with and without insomnia. Insomnia, a common sleep disorder, increases the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Recently, the American Heart Association identified poor sleep as a key factor in maintaining heart health, yet there is limited research on therapies that can simultaneously improve both sleep and cardiovascular function. By examining the immediate effects of a single evening session of yoga, this study aims to determine if yoga could serve as a practical, complementary approach to managing sleep and heart health. Using a three-arm randomized crossover design, the study includes 42 participants, aged 18-40, who are either good sleepers or have diagnosed insomnia. Each participant will complete three sessions: one of vinyasa yoga, one of gentle yoga, and a non-active control session, with each session separated by a 72-hour washout period to avoid carryover effects. The yoga sessions will be standardized to 60 minutes and take place in the evening, approximately 4-6 hours before bedtime, under the supervision of a trained research staff. The study has three main goals. First, examine whether different yoga styles influence heart function during sleep by measuring heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of nervous system balance that reflects the body's ability to regulate stress and relaxation. The investigators hypothesize that both yoga styles will improve HRV in people with insomnia more than in healthy sleepers. Second, to determine if vinyasa or gentle yoga improves sleep quality-measured by sleep efficiency (the percentage of time in bed spent asleep), total sleep time, and self-reported sleep quality-in adults with insomnia compared to those without sleep problems. Lastly, measure the impact of yoga on blood vessel function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), a test that measures how well blood vessels expand in response to increased blood flow, with the expectation that vinyasa yoga's moderate intensity will provide greater immediate benefits compared to gentle yoga.

Eligibility Criteria

Interventions