Abstract
Background: Sleep problems are common in the general population and negatively affect both private and work life. A vicious circle may exist between poor sleep and an unhealthy lifestyle. For example, poor sleep may drain the energy to do health-promoting physical activity during leisure-time after work. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between sleep problems and the duration of low- and high-intensity leisure-time physical activity in sedentary and physical workers.Methods: This cross-sectional study employ data from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study in 2010, where currently employed wage-earners in Denmark on daytime schedule (N = 7,706) replied to questions about sleep quality (cf. the Bergen Insomnia Scale) and participation in low- and high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. Associations were modeled using general linear models controlling for various confounders.Results: Workers with high levels of sleep problems reported less high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. Specifically, the weekly duration of high-intensity leisure-time physical activity was 139 (95%CI 111–168), 129 (95%CI 101–158), and 122 (95%CI 92–151) min in sedentary workers with sleep problems < 1, 1–3, and ≥3 days per week, respectively. The same pattern was observed among physical workers. In sedentary workers ≥50 years, the fully adjusted model showed a weekly duration in high-intensity physical activity during leisure of 122 (95%CI 83–161), 102 (95%CI 64–141), and 90 (95%CI 51–130) among those with sleep problems < 1, 1–3, and ≥3 days per week, respectively.Conclusions: Workers, particularly sedentary older workers, having sleep problems report less high-intensity leisure-time physical activity. These data suggest that a vicious circle may indeed exist between poor sleep and reduced leisure-time physical activity.
Highlights
Sleep problems e.g., difficulties falling asleep, awakening during the night, difficulties awakening and tiredness during the day, are common health complaints among the general adult population with studies reporting a prevalence between 10 and 40% depending on methodologies and definitions of sleep problems [1]
A study found that young adults adhering to the American College of Sports Medicine’s vigorousintensity exercise recommendations (≥20 min daily three times per week) had better sleep compared with those meeting or exceeding the recommendations for moderate physical activity [43]
These findings suggest that exercise intensity plays a certain role depending on the individual’s age
Summary
Sleep problems e.g., difficulties falling asleep, awakening during the night, difficulties awakening and tiredness during the day, are common health complaints among the general adult population with studies reporting a prevalence between 10 and 40% depending on methodologies and definitions of sleep problems [1]. Participating in physical activity provides positive effects on general health and prevention of various diseases, e.g., cardiovascular diseases [10]. A positive doseresponse association exists between amount of physical activity and health benefits, i.e., the more physically active the better, to a certain point [10]. Besides providing positive effects on general health, physical activity reduces the prevalence of sleep problems [12,13,14,15]. Poor sleep may drain the energy to do health-promoting physical activity during leisure-time after work. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between sleep problems and the duration of low- and high-intensity leisure-time physical activity in sedentary and physical workers
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