Physical Activity, Sleep-related Behaviors and Severity of Symptoms in Schizophrenia

The beneficial effects of a healthy sleep hygiene and regular physical activity have both been noted in improving psychopathology symptom severity. No study to date however, has evaluated the potential therapeutic effects of both sleep and exercise simultaneously in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. To examine the two variables concurrently, in the present report, patients with diagnoses of schizophrenia spectrum disorders (n = 64), were administered assessments that measured both their physical activity and sleep-related behaviors. Additionally, patients' symptom severity and cognitive and daily functioning abilities were also assessed. It was found sleep hygiene and physical activity were associated with patients' symptom severity and cognitive capacities, but not with their daily functioning abilities. Further, no interaction effects were found between sleep hygiene and physical activity. These results suggest that physical activity and sleep hygiene should be considered, independently, in their contribution to psychopathology.