Original Research Article
Year: 2023 | Month: February | Volume: 13 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 50-62
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20230209
A Cross Sectional Study on Effect of Physical Activity on Improving Sleep Quality Among Young Adults
Yeddu Lakshmi Narayana1, Tadi Sunil Kumar2, T. Yaswanthi3, P. Kiran Prakash4, G. Swathi5
1Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, ANITS College of Physiotherapy, Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, India
2,3Department of Physiotherapy, Nanded Physiotherapy College & Research Center, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, India
4Department of Physiotherapy, Swatantra Institute of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, India
5Department of Physiotherapy, KIMS College of Physiotherapy, Dr.NTR University of Health Sciences, India
Corresponding Author: Yeddu Lakshmi Narayana
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of physical activity on improving sleep quality in student population.
Methods: Cross sectional study design. A total of 93 College students were taken, 60 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were allocated into two groups based on the 5-item physical activity questionnaire, very high level, high level and acceptable level are categorized in group– A (N= 20, Physically active) and low active level and inactive level are categorized in group – B (N= 40, Physically inactive/Sedentary). Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The questionnaire is valid, reliable and consists of ten main questions comprising of 19 self-rated subjective questions. The answers to the questions generate seven component scores. These components include sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, sleep medication use, and daytime dysfunction. The scores of these questions were dichotomized into the seven main components, with a range of 0 to 3 per each component, and a maximum score of 21 and a minimum of 0 for the whole questionnaire. A global PSQI score of 5 and total sleep time (TST) of 7 hours were used to differentiate between poor and good sleepers.
Results: Independent t test was used to differentiate the mean significance difference between continuous variables. Both the groups have shown difference in their global score as well as in component scores. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that physically active subjects showed better sleep quality when compared to physically inactive subjects.
Conclusion: The study showed a moderate inverse association between reported physical activity and PSQI, meaning that the more people report being physically active, the better their overall sleep quality. In addition, it was found that a high percentage of people who reported low physical activity also reported poor sleep quality on the PSQI. This may indicate that people with less physical activity are more likely to have overall poor sleep quality. Thus, this study concludes that physical activity has a significant effect in improving sleep quality in healthy individuals.
Key words: physically active, physically inactive, sedentary lifestyle, sleep quality, PSQI, young adults.