The relationship between daily physical activity, subjective sleep quality, and mood in sedentary Hungarian adults: A longitudinal within-subjects study

Abstract

This study investigated the day-to-day variability of daily physical activity and its effect on sleep and mood in a longitudinal within-subjects study for 7 days and 6 nights. Healthy office employees aged 25–35 years with a sedentary lifestyle participated in the study. Seven-day sleep diaries were used to evaluate sleep patterns. Ten-point scales were used to measure the level of happiness and stress. Daily physical activity was measured in steps/day using pedometers. Two hundred forty-five steps/day scores and changes induced in sleep and mood were analysed. There is a relationship between daily physical activity and sleep/mood. An inverted U-shaped relationship may be assumed between sleep duration, sleep quality, feelings after waking up, and the number of steps/day. Increasing the number of steps/day decreases the level of stress and daytime sleepiness and increases sleep efficiency. Sleep efficiency/daytime sleepiness and sleep duration did not show any association. Based on the results, after a physically exhausting day, decreased stress and improved sleep efficiency may be experienced, while sleep duration may decrease, which may reduce the participants’ motivation to develop an active lifestyle. For further studies, it would be crucial to use individual exercise intervention programmes to reinforce the positive effects of exercise on sleep and/or mood.