2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Exercise method to elicit a positive effect on sleep for people who do not sleep well

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20700542
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Applied health science
Research Institution	Asai Gakuen University
Principal Investigator	ODA Shiro Asai Gakuen University, 生涯スポーツ学部, 准教授 (70347813)
Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha)	SHIRAKAWA Kazuki 北翔大学, 北方圏生涯スポーツ研究センター, 非常勤研究員 (70448835)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2010
Keywords	不眠 / 睡眠 / 体温 / 自律神経系 / 運動
Research Abstract	Many studies have pointed out a methodological limitation that good sleepers have little room to achieve improvement in sleep by exercise. So, this study was designed to examine the effects of exercise on sleep for male college students who do not sleep well. We compared their sleep parameters obtained by actigraph between the exercise day and the non-exercise day. Results obtained in their respective homes (n=7) as well as in the laboratory (n=7) showed positive effects on sleep (increase in sleep efficiency) on the exercise day for people who do not sleep well. We have failed to show the most suitable length of time before sleep to exercise in order to improve their sleep. However, our results indicate that a bout of exercise performed in the early evening (18:20-21:00) might improve sleep for young people who do not sleep well.