Types of insomnia and physical activity in college students

Abstract

Few epidemiological studies have examined the potential protective effects of physical activity on insomnia. It is little known about physical activity among different types of insomnia. The objective of this study was to determine whether or not differences in physical activity in groups with different forms of insomnia existed. The sample was conformed of 285 university students (20.37 ± 2.5 years old, 68% women) they were asked to complete a questionnaire about general and specific insomnia symptoms: acute, inadequate sleep hygiene, psychophysiological, due to medical condition, due to mental disorder or substance use, based on the international classification of sleep disorders (AASM 2005), it was also applied another questionnaire to know the regular physical activity index. The 33% of the total sample had insomnia, within this group, 53% had insomnia for inadequate sleep hygiene, 52% had psychophysiological insomnia, 27% had acute insomnia, 2% had idiopathic insomnia and 2% had insomnia associated with a medical condition. Only the group with psychophysiological insomnia presented differences with the control group in the following physical activity variables: Time Spent in bed sleeping (5.51 ± 1.26 vs. 6.03 ± 1.62 h, p = .035), while sitting in class (6.04 ± 1.12 vs. 5.52 ± 1.66 h, p = .010), number of blocks you walk a day (5.77 ± 5.89 vs. 8.19 ± 7.41 h, p = .016), physical exercise in college (.02 ± .14 vs. 23 ± 64 h p = .001). The group with psychophysiological insomnia does less physical activity in comparison with the group control. Results show that physical activity is reduced only in the group with psychophysiological insomnia; this group spends more time sitting and less time walking and exercising. College Students Participants.