Baduanjin (Eight Brocades)

The steps

1. Preparation. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, arms relaxed. Breathe slowly through your nose. Feel tall and easy.
2. 1 · Two hands hold up the heavens. Interlace your fingers in front of your belly. Breathe in as you lift your hands up past your face and press palms to the sky. Breathe out and float the arms down. Repeat slowly.
3. 2 · Drawing the bow. Step into a wide, gentle stance, knees softly bent. Extend your left arm to the side as if holding a bow, and pull your right hand back toward your chest as if drawing the string. Look toward the left hand. Return and switch sides.
4. 3 · Separating heaven and earth. Raise your right palm up overhead while pressing your left palm down beside your hip, stretching the sides of your body. Breathe out and switch.
5. 4 · The wise owl looks back. Arms relaxed at your sides, palms slightly out. Breathe in and slowly turn your head to look over your left shoulder. Breathe out and return. Switch sides. Move only as far as is easy.
6. 5 · Swaying the head and tail. Hands on your thighs in a wide, low-ish stance. Gently shift your weight and lean your upper body in a slow arc from one side to the other. Keep it small and smooth.
7. 6 · Hands reach down to the feet. Reach your arms up, then slowly fold forward, sliding your hands down your legs toward your feet — only as far as is comfortable. Roll up slowly. Skip this one if you have back problems, glaucoma, or get dizzy.
8. 7 · Clenching fists with a focused gaze. Stand in a gentle horse stance, fists at your waist. Slowly punch forward with one fist, eyes wide and focused, then open the hand, grasp, and draw it back. Switch.
9. 8 · Rising on the toes. Stand tall, arms relaxed. Rise gently onto your toes, pause, then lower your heels with a soft bounce. Hold a chair back or countertop if your balance is unsure.
10. Closing. Bring your hands to rest over your lower belly. Take three slow breaths and notice how your body feels now.

Why it may help

Baduanjin (八段錦, “eight pieces of brocade”) is one of the most widely practiced forms of qigong, a Chinese tradition that joins slow movement, breathing, and focused attention. It is taught in parks and senior centers across China, and it is one of the standard forms promoted by China's national Health Qigong Association.

It has been studied more than most traditional practices. A 2026 meta-analysis of trials in older adults found Baduanjin improved sleep quality and reduced depressive symptoms, and another 2026 meta-analysis found qigong in general improved sleep in older adults. Many of the trials were small or had design weaknesses, so we rate it promising. The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that qigong is generally safe.