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Updated: Aug 7, 2025

Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Associations of accelerometer-measured physical activity, sedentary behavior with self-reported insomnia in older
Xianliang Zhang1, Zikun Yang1, Litao Du1
1School of Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China.
Aims:
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that widely occurs in older population, especially older women. This study aims to investigate the associations between accelerometer-measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) patterns with insomnia in older Chinese women.
Methods:
Cross-sectional data derived from the baseline survey of the Physical Activity and Health in Older Women Study were analyzed for 1112 older women aged 60 to 70. Insomnia was evaluated using Athens Insomnia Scale. PA and SB patterns were measured through an accelerometer. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate associations of PA and SB patterns with insomnia.
Results:
All SB variables were positively associated with insomnia, with multivariate-adjusted ORs of 1.24, 1.19 and 1.19 for 60-min increase of total SB, 10min-bouted SB and 30min-bouted SB, respectively. Total LPA and bouted LPA were negatively associated with insomnia, with multivariate-adjusted ORs of 0.90 and 0.89 for 30-min increase of total LPA and bouted LPA, respectively.
Conclusion:
Avoiding SB and encouraging LPA engagement may hold promise in preventing insomnia and promoting sleep in older population. Future studies with experimental study design and follow-up periods are warranted to illustrate the causal associations.
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