The Effectiveness of Regular Exercise on Improving Sleep in Older Adults

Sleep deprivation is a common problem among older adults. It is often at the root of increased mortality and some psychiatric disorders. Regular participation in a medium-intensity exercise regimen may help people sleep better. This study will assess the effectiveness of a regular exercise program on improving sleep in older adults with moderate difficulty sleeping.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions. One group will partake in a moderate-intensity physical activity training regimen. The other group will act as a non-exercise attention-control comparison group. Each group will undergo its assigned treatment for 12 months. Sleep quantity and quality will be measured objectively using in-home polysomnography. Subjective sleep quality and health-related quality of life measures will be evaluated with questionnaires. All measurements will be performed at the beginning of the study, Month 6, and Month 12.

Inclusion criteria

• Moderate difficulty sleeping unrelated to a physical illness or psychopathology (determined by the Sleep Questionnaire and Assessment of Wakefulness)
• Currently not physically active on a regular basis
• Body mass index less than 38

Exclusion criteria

• Currently physically active on a regular basis
• Diagnosed with a clinically significant sleep disorder
• Mild or no sleep complaints (determined by the Sleep Questionnaire and Assessment of Wakefulness)
• Unstable on medications
• Current smoker
• Consumes more than three alcoholic beverages per day
• Medical condition that may limit participation in moderate-intensity exercise
• Diagnosed with clinical psychopathology