A new research has suggested that the adverse effects of poor sleep quality can be countered by increasing the weekly physical activity.

The study measured the baseline weekly physical activity levels and sleep quality of nearly 400,000 middle-aged adults. Their physical activity levels were categorised into low (0 to <600 MET-min/wk), medium (600 to <1200 MET-min/wk), or high (≥1200 MET-min/wk), including a “no moderate-to-vigorous PA” category. Sleep was also categorised into healthy, intermediate and poor based on a sleep score derived from five characteristics - chronotype, sleep duration, insomnia, snoring and daytime sleepiness. Score ≥4 was taken as healthy sleep and ≤1 poor sleep. All participants were followed for a mean of 11.1 years.

Participants with poor and intermediate sleep were found to be at risk of higher mortality. Those with low physical activity levels were also at higher risk for all-cause mortality.

Analysis of data showed that over an 11-year period, those with poor sleep and low physical activity levels had 57% higher risk for all-cause mortality, a 67% higher risk for death from cardiovascular disease, a 45% higher risk for death from any type of cancer and a 91% higher risk for death from lung cancer.

Participants who were younger, women, thinner, faced less socioeconomic deprivation, consumed more  vegetable and fruits, were physically active, had no mental health issues, non-smokers, were employed in non-shift work, drank less alcohol had healthier sleep scores.

Poor sleep and low physical activity are independently associated with adverse health outcomes. What this study has shown is their synergistic detrimental effects. Those who had the poorest sleep quality and least physical activity were at the greatest risk for adverse outcomes, compared to individuals with healthy sleep and high physical activity levels. Though these findings show only an association and not causality, it is important that physicians should educate their patients about the importance of physical activity as well as good sleep.

The study was published online June 29, 2021 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

(Source: Medscape & Br J Sports Med. Published online June 29, 2021)