Objectively measured habitual physical activity and sleep-related phenomena in 1645 people aged 1-91 years: The Nakanojo Community Study.

Yukitoshi Aoyagi,Sungjin Park,Sunyoung Cho,Roy J Shephard

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.06.013

Abstract

Relationships between habitual physical activity and sleep-related phenomena were examined in 623 male and 1022 female Japanese participating in the Nakanojo Community Study, using data collected in 2012–2013. Ages ranged from infancy to very old. Daily step count and daily duration of exercise at an intensity >3 metabolic equivalents (METs) were determined by pedometer/accelerometer, 24 h/day for 1 week. Duplicate axillary temperatures were also taken on rising and when retiring. Total bed time was noted, and the efficiency of sleep determined as hours of actual sleep (from a validated pedometer/accelerometer algorithm) divided by bed time. Step counts and especially duration of activity >3 METs peaked in teenagers and decreased as age advanced (p < 0.001). Both axillary temperatures subsequently showed a gradual age-related decline (p < 0.001). The duration and efficiency of sleep also showed a small age-dependent decrease (p < 0.001). Multivariate-adjusted correlation coefficients indicated a better quality of sleep in individuals who took greater habitual physical activity. In individuals aged ≥40 years, these findings were modified by chronic disease conditions including hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia; after controlling statistically for potential confounders, both physical activity and axillary temperature were lower (p < 0.05 or 0.01), and the time spent lying was longer but the efficiency of sleep was poorer (p < 0.01) in those with chronic conditions. These results suggest that habitual physical activity bears an important relationship to sleep-related phenomena at all ages, with a modification of relationships by chronic disease in people aged ≥40 years.

Highlights

The beneficial influence of habitual physical activity upon many chronic diseases is well-documented for people from infancy to an advanced age (Bouchard et al, 1994; Garber et al, 2011; Shephard, 1997a, 1997b; Sothern et al, 1999)
Habitual physical activity was greater in males than in females, significantly so (p < 0.001) for both the week-averaged daily step count and the week-averaged daily duration of activity at an intensity > 3 metabolic equivalents (METs)
After adjustment for potential confounders, habitual physical activity is related to body temperature and sleep patterns, with disturbance of these relationships by the onset of lifestyle-related diseases

Summary

Introduction

The beneficial influence of habitual physical activity upon many chronic diseases is well-documented for people from infancy to an advanced age (Bouchard et al, 1994; Garber et al, 2011; Shephard, 1997a, 1997b; Sothern et al, 1999). Most people show (i) a progressive decrease in both the quantity and the quality of habitual physical activity (Aoyagi and Shephard, 1992, 2009; Yasunaga et al, 2008); (ii) changes in body temperature including a reduction in mean values, a narrowing of diurnal variations and a phase advance of peak values (Czeisler et al, 1992; Duffy et al, 1998); (iii) a reduction in measures of sleep efficiency such as increases in the time required to fall asleep (sleep latency) and reach the phase of deep sleep (deep sleep latency), and a decrease in the ratio of stage 3 and 4 deep sleep to the total sleep per night (Czeisler et al, 1992; Duffy et al, 1998); and (iv) an increase in the prevalence of chronic lifestylerelated conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hyperlipemia (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 2017).

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Conclusion