The Effect of Structured Exercise on Sleep During the Corresponding Night Among Older Women in an Exercise Program.

This study investigated the acute effect of exercise on sleep outcomes among healthy older women by comparing days with structured exercise versus days without structured exercise during four months of exercise training. Participants (n = 51) in this study had wrist-worn actigraphic sleep data available following at least three days with structured exercise and three days without structured exercise at mid- and end-intervention. The exercise intervention was treadmill walking. Multilevel models were used to examine whether structured exercise impacted sleep outcomes during the corresponding night. Overall, 1362 nights of data were included in analyses. In unadjusted and adjusted models, bedtimes were significantly earlier on evenings following an acute bout of structured exercise than evenings without structured exercise. No other sleep parameters differed between exercise and non-exercise days. Understanding the effects of exercise on sleep in this understudied population may help to improve their overall sleep quality. PMID: 30507280 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Journal of Aging and Physical Activity - Category: Geriatrics Tags: J Aging Phys Act Source Type: research