Physical exercise as a therapeutic approach for adults with insomnia: systematic review and meta-analysis.

5 Repeated evidence

What this means for you: this is established.

Type of study: meta-analysis or systematic review
Studied in: people
Participants: 295
Published: 2022 in Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Cited: 11 times by other research
Who paid: Not declared. PubMed carries no conflict-of-interest statement for most articles; that is not the same as independent.
Source: PubMed 35894372 · doi 10.31744/einstein_journal/2022AO8058

The plain-language write-up of this study is still being written. Below is the abstract exactly as the researchers published it.

Abstract by the researchers — original text

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the effects (benefits and harms) of different types of physical exercise on insomnia outcomes in adult populations with no mood disorders. Objective and subjective sleep outcomes and related mismatches were analyzed. METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Quality of evidence was also examined. RESULTS: Six studies including 295 participants with insomnia diagnosis were selected. Yoga, Tai Chi, resistance exercise and aerobic exercise were used in protocols with different duration, intensity and frequency. Studies involved different populations, including inactive or sedentary individuals, older adults and postmenopausal women. Physical exercise improved subjective sleep quality (very low quality of evidence) and reduced insomnia severity (high quality of evidence). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest individualized physical exercise must be addressed to design optimal protocols, with standardized type, duration, intensity, and frequency. For the time being, physical exercise may be considered an alternative and/or ancillary therapeutic modality for patients diagnosed with insomnia. Physical exercise can be used to improve subjective complaints, but not objective sleep outcomes.