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Review
. 2023 Jan 19;20(3):1864.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031864.

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality Association in Different Populations: A Meta-Analysis

Haitao Zhao  1   2 , Chuntian Lu  1 , Cuixia Yi  1
Affiliations
Review

Physical Activity and Sleep Quality Association in Different Populations: A Meta-Analysis

Haitao Zhao et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The meta-analysis statistical methodology was used to test the effect of physical activity intervention on sleep quality. According to the preliminary results of the meta-analysis, moderating variables (age stage and physical activity intensity) were included for further study. On this basis, measures and schemes to improve sleep quality through physical activity were put forward. A preliminary Endnote X9 search of relevant literature from six electronic databases (Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, CNKI, PsycINFO and Wanfang) was performed. The results showed the following: (1) The overall test effect of physical activity intervention on sleep quality was not significant (p = 0.15). (2) Moderate- and low-intensity physical activity had significant effects on sleep quality (moderate intensity d = 2.56, p = 0.015; low-intensity d = 1.38, p = 0.03), while high-intensity physical activity had no obvious effect on sleep quality (d = 1.12, p = 0.32). (3) There were differences in the effect of physical activity on sleep quality at different ages. The effect of physical activity on sleep quality was more obvious in children and middle-aged and elderly people (children d = 1.24, p = 0.03; middle-aged and elderly people d = 1.98, p = 0.037), but not in young people (d = 1.32, p = 0.11). Conclusion: The overall effect of physical activity on sleep quality was not significant. Physical activity had an obvious effect on the sleep quality of children and middle-aged and elderly people but had no obvious effect on young people. Moderate-intensity physical activity had a certain effect on sleep quality, but high-intensity physical activity had no obvious effect on sleep quality. Future studies need to confirm these findings with a good large sample and moderating variables.

Keywords: different people; meta-analysis; physical activity; sleep quality.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of document selection and inclusion.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest graph showing the overall effect of exercise on sleep disorders [22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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