Physical Activity Level and Sleep Quality in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. A Cross-Sectional Study

The worldwide increase in life expectancy has resulted in a significant aging of the population. The physiological and functional changes that result from the aging process, changes in sleep patterns, and the prevalence of chronic diseases affect the health and well-being of individuals aged over 60. Objective  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between levels of physical activity (PA) and sleep quality in community-dwelling older adults. Methods  This is a cross-sectional study, with the participants randomly recruited according to the region and street in which they live. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was applied to assess sleep quality, the Modified Baecke Questionnaire for the Elderly (MBQ-E) to assess PA levels, as well as questionnaires to obtain social, demographic and anthropometric data. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted with PA activity as the independent variable and sleep quality as the dependent variable of interest, while also considering all potential covariates. Results  A total of 503 older adults were analyzed, of whom 377 (75%) were classified as inactive and only 126 (25%) as active. Among the participants, 344 (68.4%) had poor sleep quality, 86 (17.1%) had symptoms of insomnia, and 57 (11.5%) reported complaints of excessive daytime sleepiness. We found that 128 participants (25.4%) consumed alcohol and 41 (8.2%) were current smokers. Multivariate regression results showed an inverse association between PA levels and sleep (Beta coefficient = -0.67 ([95% confidence interval = -1.29 to -0.04]). Conclusions  The results of the study indicate that being physically inactive is associated with poor sleep quality.