Effect of a multimodal exercise training program on sleep in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Improvement in sleep quality in older adults has been observed after aerobic, resistance, and combined (aerobic and resistance) training; however, little is known about multimodal exercise training, a combination of modalities that aims to improve functional capabilities in this population.

To investigate the effect of a multimodal exercise training program on sleep in older adults.

Thirty-two participants (70.1 ± 5.7 years; 29.9 ± 4.9 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to multimodal exercise training or control groups in a 2:1 ratio, stratified by sex and age. Progressive training was carried out 3x/week, with each session lasting 45 to 60 minutes. Sleep was evaluated using Actigraphy for 7 consecutive days. All evaluations were performed by a blinded assessor.

All evaluations were performed by a blinded assessor. After 16 weeks, the exercise group showed a significant within-group reduction in sleep latency (mean difference [MD] = -3.4 min; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -6.6, -0.2). In between-group comparisons, the multimodal exercise training group demonstrated significantly better outcomes than the control group, including improved sleep efficiency (MD = 6.6%; 95% CI: 1.8, 11.4) and reduced wake after sleep onset (WASO) (MD = -33.2 min; 95% CI: -65.9, -0.5) and sleep fragmentation (MD = -8.0; 95% CI: -15.6, -0.6). Intervention adherence was 90%.

Multimodal exercise training was effective in improving sleep in older adults, representing a promising strategy for this population due to its low cost and high participant adherence.