Mental health and sleep quality across different physical activity intensities: A cross-sectional epidemiological analysis.

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and depression symptoms are closely linked to sleep quality in a bidirectional manner. While physical activity (PA) is known to improve both mental health and sleep outcomes, it remains unclear whether the intensity of PA influences the relationship between sleep quality and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the relationship between anxiety/depression symptoms and sleep quality across PA intensities.

STUDY-

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Two hundred and twenty-nine adults (42.12 ± 17.02 years) participated in this study. Sleep quality and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale, respectively. Habitual PA intensities (i.e., light, moderate, moderate-vigorous, and vigorous) were assessed by accelerometers. Binary logistic regression models adjusted for confounding factors (age, sex, and socioeconomic status) and PA intensities were used to analyze the association between sleep quality and symptoms of anxiety/depression.

RESULTS

The models indicated that individuals classified with sleep disturbance and who spend lesser time in light and vigorous PA are 7 (OR = 7.33; 95 %CI = 2.42-16.94) and 6 (OR = 6.39; 95 %CI = 2.34-17.46) times more likely to present symptoms of anxiety and 5 (OR = 5.61; 95 %CI = 1.32-23.80) and 4 (OR = 4.57; 95 % CI = 1.46-14.30) times more likely for depressive symptoms. However, these associations are no longer significant at longer duration of PA at light, moderate, and vigorous intensity, except for the association between sleep quality and symptoms of anxiety at moderate intensity of PA (OR = 4.93 95 % CI = 1.09-22.23).

CONCLUSION

Short durations of light and vigorous PA appear to affect the relationship between sleep quality and symptoms of anxiety and depression.