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The effect of exercise on sleep: the negative view.
J Trinder1, I Montgomery, S J Paxton
1Department of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Acta Physiologica Scandinavica. Supplementum
|January 1, 1988
Summary
Physical exercise does not reliably increase sleep duration or slow wave sleep (SWS). Current evidence suggests exercise
Area of Science:
- Sleep science
- Exercise physiology
Background:
- Sleep theories often propose a compensatory relationship between sleep and wakefulness.
- This suggests physical exercise should increase subsequent sleep duration and slow wave sleep (SWS).
- Previous literature reviews have generally supported this exercise-sleep hypothesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically evaluate the evidence supporting the hypothesis that physical exercise directly enhances sleep duration and SWS.
- To examine the relationship between physical fitness and sleep parameters.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and critical analysis of existing scientific literature on exercise and sleep.
- Evaluation of studies investigating the acute and chronic effects of exercise on sleep architecture and duration.
Main Results:
- Evidence supporting the exercise-sleep hypothesis, particularly for direct causation of increased sleep duration and SWS, is often overstated.
- Subsequent research and a review of physical fitness literature do not consistently support the hypothesis.
- No reliable association found between physical exercise and longer sleep durations or higher SWS levels.
Conclusions:
- The hypothesis that physical exercise directly causes increased sleep duration or SWS is not supported by current evidence.
- While exercise may have indirect sleep effects in specific contexts, a direct, reliable link is absent.
- Physical fitness acquired through training does not consistently correlate with enhanced sleep duration or SWS.