Sleep quality and aerobic training among menopausal women—A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Maturitas Vol. 72; no. 4; pp. 339 - 345
• Main Authors: Mansikkamäki, Kirsi, Raitanen, Jani, Nygård, Clas-Håkan, Heinonen, Reetta, Mikkola, Tomi, EijaTomás, Luoto, Riitta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aerobic training; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Therapy; Female; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hot Flashes - epidemiology; Hot Flashes - therapy; Hot flushes; Humans; Incidence; Internal Medicine; Medical sciences; Menopause; Menopause - physiology; Middle Aged; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Puberal and climacteric disorders (male and female); Randomized trial; Sedentary Lifestyle; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Sleep - physiology; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - therapy; Sleep quality; Symptomatic; Vascular disorders of the skin; Hot flushes; Sleep quality; Randomized trial; Symptomatic; Menopause; Aerobic training; Human; Skin disease; Cardiovascular disease; Hot flush; Vascular disease; Randomization; Sleep; Female; Erythema; Woman
• ISSN: 0378-5122; 1873-4111
• DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2012.05.003

Abstract Background Menopause is associated with poor sleep quality and daytime sleepiness, which may lead to impaired quality of life and impaired functioning in daily activities. Objective To study whether exercise training improves sleep quality or decreases the amount of night time hot flushes among menopausal women with vasomotor symptoms. Study design A randomized controlled trial. Sedentary women ( N = 176) aged 43–63 years with menopausal symptoms were randomized to a six-month unsupervised aerobic training intervention (50 min 4 times per week) or a control group. Both groups attended lectures on physical activity and health once a month. Main outcome measures Sleep quality and the amount of hot flushes disturbing sleep. The women reported daily via mobile phone whether hot flushes had disturbed their sleep and how they had slept (scale 1–5). Responses received by mobile phone over the 6-month period totaled on average 125 (5.2 per week) responses per participant. Results At baseline there was no difference between the groups in the demographic variables. Sleep quality improved significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group (OR 1.02; 95% CI = 1.0–1.05, p = 0.043). The odds for sleep improvement were 2% per week in the intervention group and a decrease of 0.5% per week in the control group. The amount of hot flushes related to sleep diminished ( p = 0.004) by the end of the intervention. Conclusions Aerobic training for 6 months may improve sleep quality and reduce hot flushes among symptomatic menopausal women.