title: Consistently high sports/exercise activity is associated with better sleep quality, continuity and depth in midlife women: the SWAN sleep study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine relationships between different physical activity (PA) domains and sleep, and the influence of consistent PA on sleep, in midlife women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-based.
  
  
  METHODS
  339 women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Sleep Study (52.1 ± 2.1 y).
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sleep was examined using questionnaires, diaries and in-home polysomnography (PSG). PA was assessed in three domains (Active Living, Household/Caregiving, Sports/Exercise) using the Kaiser Physical Activity Survey (KPAS) up to 4 times over 6 years preceding the sleep assessments. The association between recent PA and sleep was evaluated using KPAS scores immediately preceding the sleep assessments. The association between the historical PA pattern and sleep was examined by categorizing PA in each KPAS domain according to its pattern over the 6 years preceding sleep assessments (consistently low, inconsistent/consistently moderate, or consistently high). Greater recent Sports/Exercise activity was associated with better sleep quality (diary "restedness" [P < 0.01]), greater sleep continuity (diary sleep efficiency [SE; P = 0.02]) and depth (higher NREM delta electroencephalographic [EEG] power [P = 0.04], lower NREM beta EEG power [P < 0.05]), and lower odds of insomnia diagnosis (P < 0.05). Consistently high Sports/Exercise activity was also associated with better Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (P = 0.02) and higher PSG-assessed SE (P < 0.01). Few associations between sleep and Active Living or Household/Caregiving activity (either recent or historical pattern) were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistently high levels of recreational physical activity, but not lifestyle- or household-related activity, are associated with better sleep in midlife women. Increasing recreational physical activity early in midlife may protect against sleep disturbance in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kline
authors.forename: Leah A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Krafty
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sternfeld
authors.forename: Howard M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kravitz
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Buysse
authors.forename: Joyce T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bromberger
authors.forename: Sheila A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dugan
authors.forename: Martica H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017286:Polysomnography; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Physical activity; exercise; polysomnography; sleep; sleep continuity; sleep depth