Wellness Journal

Stress is a primary disruptor of healthy sleep patterns. Specifically, chronic stress leads to an overactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which in turn triggers excessive cortisol release. This hormonal imbalance delays sleep onset, fragments deep sleep, and increases night-time waking. In fact, a study from King’s College London found that 73% of participants experiencing high workplace stress also reported insomnia or disturbed sleep.

Moreover, workplace culture in the UK—especially in sectors like finance, legal, tech, and architecture, often demands long hours, digital availability after-hours, and a high mental load. Consequently, these factors create a persistent state of hyperarousal in the nervous system, making restorative sleep increasingly difficult to achieve.

Furthermore, poor sleep among employees leads to more than just grogginess; it reduces focus, impairs decision-making, and increases both presenteeism and sick days. As a result, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) warns that employers who ignore sleep health risk lower productivity, higher turnover, and increased mental health claims..

How Corporate Yoga Can Help

Unlike passive wellbeing schemes, yoga actively integrates movement, breathing and meditation, targeting both the physical and neurological consequences of stress.

A study conducted by the University of Westminster found that employees who participated in an 8-week workplace yoga programme reported:

• Significant improvements in sleep quality
• Lower levels of occupational stress
• Reduced symptoms of anxiety and fatigue

Similar findings were reported in a British Psychological Society publication, which highlighted yoga’s effectiveness in enhancing autonomic nervous system regulation, the key to moving out of “fight-or-flight” and into rest-and-repair mode.

Ready to invest in your team’s wellbeing? Learn more about office yoga programs here and start creating a healthier, more creative workplace today!