Physical Activity and Exercise Patterns of Submariners in Land and Sea Environments.
Benjamin Kirk1,2,3, Georgios Mavropalias1, Anthony Blazevich1
1School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia.
Military Medicine
|September 7, 2025
Summary
Submarine deployments significantly reduce physical activity and sleep quality in submariners, increasing sedentary time. This highlights the need for targeted health interventions to support well-being in confined operational environments.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Exercise Science
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Submarine environments present unique challenges to physical activity and exercise due to space, schedule, and resource limitations.
- Maintaining physical health and sleep quality is crucial for submariner well-being and operational effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate physical activity patterns, sleep quality, and perceived exercise barriers in submariners.
- To compare these factors between land- and sea-based settings.
- To inform the development of targeted health interventions for submariners.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey of 21 Royal Australian Navy submariners using a modified International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
- Assessment of general physical activity, structured exercise training, sitting time, and sleep duration.
- Analysis of perceived barriers and motivations to exercise, comparing land vs. sea environments using descriptive statistics and paired t-tests.
Main Results:
- Total physical activity was substantially lower at sea (118 min/week) compared to land (745 min/week), with significant reductions in walking, moderate-intensity, high-intensity interval, and resistance training.
- Reported barriers at sea included water restrictions, limited space, inadequate facilities, time constraints, fatigue, and noise.
- Sleep quality declined by 37% at sea, while sitting time increased by 51% on workdays.
Conclusions:
- Sea deployments lead to significant declines in physical activity and sleep quality, increased sedentary behavior, and behavioral disengagement among submariners.
- Practical strategies are needed to support submariner health, well-being, and operational readiness in constrained environments.
- Findings are relevant to other populations in similar confined or remote occupational settings.
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