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Muscle strength training is more effective than aerobic or combined exercises for improving sleep quality in insomnia-affected older adults.
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including data from 2,170 participants, has identified strength training as the most potent form of exercise for enhancing sleep quality in older population struggling with sleep issues.
Researchers analyzed RCTs that compared different forms of physical exercise to routine activities, usual care, or non-physical interventions in relation to sleep quality, as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Studies were sourced from major medical databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, ClinicalTrial.gov, and ThaiJo, covering all available data up to October 2022. The primary outcome of interest was the change in global PSQI scores, along with its subdomains, to determine which exercise type had the most significant impact on sleep quality.
The analysis revealed a substantial decline in global PSQI with combined exercise (unstandardised mean difference [USMD] −2.35), while aerobic activity demonstrated an even greater reduction (USMD −4.36). Network meta-analysis further underscored the efficacy of strengthening, aerobic, and combined exercise in improving global PSQI (USMD −5.75, −3.76, and −2.54, respectively). Among these, strength training emerged as the most valuable strategy (surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA] 94.6%), offering the greatest enhancement in global PSQI.
With sleep disorders on the rise and their impact on overall health widely recognized, these findings reinforce the importance of targeted physical activity in tackling sleep issues. While aerobic and combination exercises still provide notable benefits, strength training stands out as the most optimal solution to boost sleep quality in adults aged 60 years and older.
Family Medicine and Community Health
Impact of different types of physical exercise on sleep quality in older population with insomnia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Bahalayothin P et al.
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