title: The association between physical activity and maternal sleep during the postpartum period.
abstract: Physical activity is associated with improved sleep quality and duration in the general population, but its effect on sleep in postpartum women is unknown. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between hours/week of self-reported domain-specific and overall moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep quality and duration at 3- and 12-months postpartum among a cohort of 530 women in the Pregnancy, Infection, and Nutrition Postpartum Study. MVPA was not associated with sleep quality or duration at 3-months postpartum. At 12-months postpartum, a 1 h/week increase in recreational MVPA was associated with higher odds of good (vs. poor) sleep quality (odds ratio, OR 1.14; 95 % confidence interval, CI, 1.03-1.27) and a 1 h/week increase in child/adult care MVPA was associated with lower odds of good (vs. poor) sleep quality (OR = 0.93; 95 % CI 0.88-0.99). A 1 h/week increase in child/adult care MVPA (OR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.00-1.16) was associated with higher odds of long sleep duration and 1 h/week increases in indoor household (OR 1.09, 95 % CI 1.01-1.18) and overall MVPA (OR 1.04, 95 % CI 1.01-1.07) were associated with higher odds of short (vs. normal) sleep duration. Comparing 3-months postpartum to 12-months postpartum, increased work MVPA was associated with good sleep quality (OR 2.40, 95 % CI 1.12-5.15) and increased indoor household MVPA was associated with short sleep duration (OR 1.85, 95 % CI 1.05-3.27) as measured at 12-months postpartum. Selected domains of MVPA and their longitudinal increases were associated with sleep quality and duration at 12-months postpartum. Additional research is needed to elucidate whether physical activity can improve postpartum sleep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 137 E. Franklin Street, CB #8050, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-8050, USA, cvladutiu@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Vladutiu
authors.forename: Kelly R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Evenson
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borodulin
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dole
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007899:Leisure Activities; D016015:Logistic Models; D000068097:Maternal Health; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009657:North Carolina; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D057566:Self Report; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult