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Influence of Concurrent Exercise and Its Timing on Polysomnographic Parameters and Subjective Sleep Quality in Collegiate Adults with Poor Sleep

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Abstract

Background

Sleep disturbances are highly prevalent in collegiate adults. Although different forms of treatments for sleep disturbances exist, the treatments remain unsatisfactory. Exercises are one of the mainstays of the treatment but there is an ambiguity as far as the timing and type of the exercises are concerned.

Aims

This study aims to investigate the effects of concurrent exercise and its timing on sleep parameters among male adults with poor sleep.

Methods

This single blind, randomized clinical trial recruited 20 male participants (age range 18–30) with poor sleep quality. Subjects were randomly allocated to one of the groups: morning exercise group or Evening exercise group. The experimental protocol involved a single session of concurrent exercise performed to measure the possible effects, post concurrent exercise on sleep parameters, Polysomnography (PSG) and St. Mary’s Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ).

Results

The PSG data showed a significant improvement in the sleep efficiency (SE) p = 0.02 in the morning group, and improvement in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and marginal significant improvement in SE in the evening exercise group p = 0.03, p = 0.06, respectively. The subjective sleep quality showed a significant improvement in the morning exercise group only p < 0.05.

Conclusions

Exercise interventions may induce an enhancement in an objective and subjective sleep quality in collegiate male adults with sleep disturbance. Morning exercise observed an improvement in sleep efficiency and self-reported sleep after a single session of concurrent exercise. Evening exercise has shown to produce improvement in REM sleep.

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Data Availability

Data will be made available on demand.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully thank all who participated in the study.

Funding

This study received no funding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Aktivhealth Clinic, New Delhi, India

    Md Azharuddin

  2. Centre for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India

    Mosab Aldabbas, Anam Aseem, Tarushi Tanwar & Zubia Veqar

  3. Somnogen Canada Inc, College Street, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Seithikurippu R. Pandi-Perumal

  4. C-82, Pocket-7, Kendriya Vihar Phase-V, Sector-82, Noida, 201304, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Zubia Veqar

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  1. Md Azharuddin
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Contributions

All authors met the ICMJE criteria for authorship. All authors contributed equally in the subsequent preparation of the manuscript. Conceived and designed the study: ZV, MdA, SRP; Wrote the initial draft: MdA, MoA, AA, TT; analysis: AA, MoA, critically reviewed the manuscript: ZV, SRP. Prior to submission, all authors reviewed and accepted the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zubia Veqar.

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Conflict of Interest

All authors have read the journal’s policy and would like to report the following statement: SRP is a stockholder and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Somnogen Canada Inc., a Canadian Corporation. SRP also continued to receive royalty support from for his role as an editor-in-chief and/or an editor of various academic volumes. He declared no competing interests that might be perceived to influence the content of this article. All remaining authors declare that they have no proprietary, financial, professional, or any other personal interest of any kind in any product or services and/or company that could be construed or considered to be a potential conflict of interest that might have influenced the views expressed in this manuscript.

Ethical Clearance

The study registered in the clinical trial registry of India (CTRI/2019/05/01903) and approved by the ethical committee of the university.

Consent to Participate

Prior to enrolment, all participants provided both oral and written permission and they were informed of their right to withdraw from the research at any time.

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I, the undersigned, give my consent for the publication of identifiable details, which can include any details within the text to be published in the sleep and vigilance. I confirm that I have seen and been given the opportunity to read both the Material and the Article (as attached) to be published by journal of sleep and vigilance.

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Azharuddin, M., Aldabbas, M., Aseem, A. et al. Influence of Concurrent Exercise and Its Timing on Polysomnographic Parameters and Subjective Sleep Quality in Collegiate Adults with Poor Sleep. Sleep Vigilance 6, 145–152 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41782-021-00187-9

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