Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Sleep, Depression, and Quality of Life in Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

Menopause is a normal life stage that frequently brings with it emotional and physical difficulties that affect women’s Quality of life (QoL) and interfere with their ability to sleep. The objective of this study was to examine how postmenopausal women (PMWs) responded to supervised aerobic exercise training versus unsupervised Walking in terms of sleep, QoL, and depression. In addition, the impact on body composition was also assessed as a secondary outcome measure. Fifty PMWs (aged 45–60) were divided into two groups at random: The control group (n = 25) performed standard unsupervised Walking, and the experimental group (n = 25) performed scheduled supervised aerobic exercise training. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), the 36-item short-form survey, the beck depression inventory (BDI), and the body mass index (BMI) were among the evaluations used in the 6-week, 3-day program. Remarkable advancements (P < 0.05) were noted in the aerobic training cohort. The experimental group increased total sleep duration by 37.9% and fell asleep 44.8% faster, resulting in a noteworthy 61.7% improvement in the PSQI score. BDI scores improved by 55.6%, and there was a 6.8% variation in BMI between the groups. A 6-week aerobic intervention can improve sleep quality, reduce menopausal symptoms, and enhance life quality in PMW. Furthermore, the results revealed that a regulated exercise group may offer more benefits than an unregulated one. This observation underscores the potential advantages of structured and monitored aerobic exercise program in achieving specific health and fitness goals.