Prospective study of beginner running groups: psychological predictors and outcomes of participation.

Running is an example of vigorous activity that leads to important health benefits if maintained. Beginner running groups provide supportive training programs to help people progress from walking to sustained running. This study explored the characteristics of individuals joining beginner running groups and the outcomes they achieve. New members of beginner running groups (n = 141; mean age 43 years, 122 female) completed online assessments at the start of their group program with 63 participants (45%) also completing a follow-up assessment at the end of the program. Validated scales were used to assess exercise behavior, mental wellbeing, self-efficacy, running identity and social physique anxiety. The majority of participants had low exercise levels at the start of the program (63%, n = 89). By the program end, 47 participants (75% of those completing the follow-up assessment) reported meeting the training goal (running for 30 minutes continuously) with self-efficacy, program adherence and younger age representing significant predictors of success. Significant improvements in exercise levels, mental wellbeing, self-efficacy, running identity and social physique anxiety were observed by the end of the program. In conclusion, beginner running programs attract low active individuals and may lead to improved levels of exercise and psychological outcomes. Additional research is needed to examine the extent to which improvements are sustained longer term.

Psychomotor Performance Decrements following a Successful Physical Activity Intervention for Insomnia.

Objectives: Evidence supports the view that reductions in cognitive hyperarousal contribute substantially to improved sleep outcomes following cognitive and behavioral interventions for insomnia disorder. Assuming an inverted-u relationship between arousal and performance, a theoretical possibility, supported by limited empirical data, is that the same mediating processes could negatively impact aspects of psychomotor performance, reducing speed on tests of reaction time. Participants: Sedentary participants (mean age = 59.8; SD = 9.46) meeting research diagnostic criteria for insomnia were randomized to either an exercise intervention of ≥150 min of moderate-intensity activity per week (n = 20), or a wait-list control group (n = 21). Of these, n = 17 intervention and n = 18 control participants completed 6-month follow-up assessments. Methods: Digit span, and simple and complex vigilance task performance was assessed using a computerized protocol at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Dependent variables included digit span, simple reaction time (SRT), complex reaction time (CRT), false positive responses, number of lapses, and SRT/CRT ratio (indicative of the magnitude of difference between simple and complex RT performance). The primary clinical outcome was Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) score. Results: In comparisons of baseline to follow-up change, ISI scores showed clinically significant improvement in the intervention group at 6-month follow-up (F (8,26) = 5.16; P = 0.03). Baseline vigilance performance was equivalent in both groups. At 6-month follow-up, however, the intervention group showed significantly slower simple reaction time F(4,30) = 10.25, p < 0.01, and a significantly decreased SRT/CRT ratio (F(4,30) = 13.22, p < 0.01). Conclusions: Among people meeting diagnostic criteria for insomnia, beneficial sleep outcomes following successful behavioral interventions may, under some circumstances, come at the cost of slower psychomotor performance.

Sleep Quality and Recommended Levels of Physical Activity in Older People.

A minimum level of activity likely to improve sleep outcomes among older people has not previously been explored. In a representative UK sample aged 65+ (n = 926), cross-sectional regressions controlling for appropriate confounders showed that walking at or above the internationally recommended threshold of ≥ 150 min per week was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of reporting insomnia symptoms (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.45-0.91, p < .05). At a 4-year follow-up (n = 577), higher walking levels at baseline significantly predicted a lower likelihood of reporting sleep onset (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.42-0.97, p < .05) or sleep maintenance (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.41-0.95, p < .05) problems. These results are consistent with the conclusion that current physical activity guidelines can support sleep quality in older adults.

Increased physical activity improves sleep and mood outcomes in inactive people with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial.

While high levels of activity and exercise training have been associated with improvements in sleep quality, minimum levels of activity likely to improve sleep outcomes have not been explored. A two-armed parallel randomized controlled trial (N=41; 30 females) was designed to assess whether increasing physical activity to the level recommended in public health guidelines can improve sleep quality among inactive adults meeting research diagnostic criteria for insomnia. The intervention consisted of a monitored program of ≥150 min of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, for 6 months. The principal end-point was the Insomnia Severity Index at 6 months post-baseline. Secondary outcomes included measures of mood, fatigue and daytime sleepiness. Activity and light exposure were monitored throughout the trial using accelerometry and actigraphy. At 6 months post-baseline, the physical activity group showed significantly reduced insomnia symptom severity (F(8,26) = 5.16, P = 0.03), with an average reduction of four points on the Insomnia Severity Index; and significantly reduced depression and anxiety scores (F(6,28) = 5.61, P = 0.02; and F(6,28) = 4.41, P = 0.05, respectively). All of the changes were independent of daily light exposure. Daytime fatigue showed no significant effect of the intervention (F(8,26) = 1.84, P = 0.18). Adherence and retention were high. Internationally recommended minimum levels of physical activity improve daytime and night-time symptoms of chronic insomnia independent of daily light exposure levels.