Exploring the impact of aerobic exercise on sleep quality in older adults: A systematic review

Abstract

Problem: Sleep disturbances are common and impact health, yet the most effective exercise modalities for improving sleep quality remain unclear. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic and resistance training in enhancing sleep quality and related health outcomes. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of various exercise modalities, including aerobic and resistance training, in improving sleep quality and related health indices, and to determine the most helpful techniques for managing sleep disruptions in old. Methods: This study utilized a systematic literature review approach, gathering and analyzing scientific articles on the effects of exercise on athlete immune function. Articles were sourced from Scopus using search terms such as "aerobic exercise" OR "aerobic training" OR "cardiovascular exercise" OR "endurance exercise" AND "sleep quality" OR "sleep disturbance" OR "sleep improvement" OR "sleep duration" OR "sleep patterns" OR "insomnia" AND "elderly" OR "older adults" OR "aging population" OR "senior citizens" OR "aged" AND "effect" OR "impact" OR "outcome" OR "influence" with a focus on studies published within the past five years that evaluate exercise interventions on immune enhancement in athletes. After collecting relevant articles, descriptive analysis was conducted to identify consistent patterns and findings. Results: Aerobic exercise was consistently the most effective intervention for improving overall sleep quality, including sleep efficiency, duration, and deep sleep, along with cognitive function and inflammation markers. Resistance and combined training also demonstrated significant benefits, with resistance training enhancing sleep onset latency and duration. These findings highlight exercise as a versatile, non-pharmacological approach to improving sleep health in diverse populations. Aerobic exercise was consistently the most effective intervention for improving overall sleep quality, including sleep efficiency, duration, and deep sleep, along with cognitive function and inflammation markers. Resistance and combined training also demonstrated significant benefits, with resistance training enhancing sleep onset latency and duration. These findings highlight exercise as a versatile, non-pharmacological approach to improving sleep health in diverse populations. Conclusion: This systematic study suggests that aerobic exercise improves sleep quality in older persons. Sleep disturbances decreased and sleep efficiency, total sleep time, and sleep start latency improved in multiple studies.