Physical Activity as a Tool to Improve Sleep Quality for Secure Psychiatric Inpatients: A Feasibility Study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Sleep Medicine
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) frequently experience insomnia and disrupted sleep-wake cycles.
• Low engagement in physical activity (PA) is common in SMI populations, hindering sleep improvement strategies.
• Intermittent, short bouts of daytime PA are hypothesized to enhance sleep outcomes in SMI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of a 10-week physical activity (PA) intervention for psychiatric inpatients.
• To investigate the impact of frequent, short PA bouts on sleep outcomes in individuals with SMI.
• To examine changes in insomnia severity, sleep-wake cycles, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA).

Main Methods:

• A 10-week intervention involving 3x10-minute daily PA sessions (5 days/week) was implemented.
• Feasibility assessed via recruitment, outcome completion (67-91%), adherence (22%), and retention (100%).
• Sleep and PA data collected using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) surveys and Motionwatch8 actigraphy.

Main Results:

• Participant retention was 100%, with high outcome completion rates.
• Mean trial adherence was low at 22%, indicating a potential challenge.
• Significant advancements in midpoint of sleep (p=0.01) and wake time (p=0.02) were observed, alongside a trend for increased MVPA.

Conclusions:

• Frequent, intermittent daytime PA is feasible and can reduce insomnia symptoms in psychiatric inpatients.
• The intervention shows potential for advancing sleep phase and improving sleep quality in SMI.
• Findings support the use of short PA bouts as a therapeutic strategy for sleep disturbances in SMI populations.