Daily HealthBeat Tip - August 14, 2008

Tai chi lullaby

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

More than half of older adults have trouble sleeping. The few who seek treatment may take expensive drugs and suffer from side effects.

A study at UCLA has found an alternative. Researchers studied how practicing tai chi chih, a Westernized version of the ancient Chinese exercise and martial art known as tai chi, helps older people sleep better.

The researchers compared people who tried tai chi chih with those who did not.

Researcher Michael Irwin says almost every elderly person can do it, and improve sleep without side effects and high prices.

“Tai chi chih – a simple series of exercises taught throughout the country. And it’s likely with some work that older adults can identify a teacher in their local community.” (10 seconds)

The study in the journal Sleep was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August, 14 2008