title: Surveying the effects of an exercise program on the sleep quality of elderly males.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Old age is a stage of life featured with many physiological and mental changes. The Iranian population is aging, and one of the problems that the elderly are faced with is sleep disorders. The present study is an attempt to examine the effectiveness of an exercise program on the sleep quality of the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  A semi-experimental study was carried out on the elderly males referred to the Shahid Yari Elderly Center, Kermanshah, Iran. The sample group comprised of 46 participants: 23 in the experimental group and 23 in the control group. The study was carried out for a period of 2 months and follow-up was conducted every week. To improve the quality of sleep of the participants, a four-stage exercise program was implemented and the collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 20.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of a Mann-Whitney test showed that the quality of sleep of the majority in the experimental group improved compared with that of the control group (P<0.05). In addition, a Wilcoxon test showed improvement of the Petersburg's sleep quality index based on subelements and the results of a total score of sleep in the experimental group after the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed effectiveness of scheduled exercising on the quality of sleep of the elderly. It is recommended, therefore, to add an exercise program to the daily program of the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Internal and Surgical Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: Lifestyle Modification Research Department.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soroush
authors.affiliation: Exercise Physiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Towhidi
authors.affiliation: Exercise Physiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Behnam Reza
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Makhsosi
authors.affiliation: Paramedical Science, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi
authors.affiliation: Exercise Physiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jamehshorani
authors.affiliation: Exercise Physiology, Imam Reza Hospital, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akhgar
authors.affiliation: Paramedical Science, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fakhri
authors.affiliation: Internal and Surgical Nursing Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: aged; exercises; sleep