SynthesisBMC public health2025
The best approaches and doses of exercise for improving sleep quality: a network meta-analysis and dose-response relationship study.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Dose-response relationship between physical activity and subjective sleep quality in patients with insomnia: a systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026Pooled it
- Optimal types and doses of exercise for improving sleep quality in perinatal women: a systematic review and network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Pooled it
- Walking and subjective sleep quality in adults: a Bayesian three-level meta-analysis with probabilistic clinical relevance assessment and dose-response modeling.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Exercise interventions to improve sleep quality in university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Integrating Sleep, Eating, Bowel Habits, and Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: A Conceptual Review of the Four Kai Framework.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Body and Mind Intertwined: Physical Activity Intensity, Sleep Quality, and Depressive Symptoms: Cross-Sectional Associations and Exploratory Path Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Longitudinal associations between exercise duration and sleep quality and poor sleep outcomes among college students: a latent growth curve modeling study.BMC psychology · 2026Article
- Effects of Aquatic Exercise on Sleep Quality in Patients with Chronic Diseases: A Meta-Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- The relationship between physical exercise and sleep procrastination in college students: the chain mediating role of self-control and time management tendencies.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The synergistic effects of diet and physical activity on sleep quality among Chinese adolescents: A comprehensive cross-sectional study.Global mental health (Cambridge, England) · 2026Article
- The relationship between physical activity and mental health in middle-aged and older Chinese adults: a moderated mediation and cross-lagged model.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Association Between Physical Activity Levels and Chronic Disease Risk Among Korean Adults with Sleep Deficiency.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- To explore the relationship between physical activity and sleep quality of college students based on the mediating effect of stress and subjective well-being.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Independent and joint associations of physical activity and a body shape index with sleep disorders in older adults with cardiometabolic multimorbidity: a cross-sectional study.BMC geriatrics · 2025Article
- Time-effect relationship between spare-time exercise and sleep quality in middle school student by parallel latent growth and cross-lagged panel model.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPoor sleep quality not only diminishes people's quality of life and work efficiency but is also closely associated with various diseases. A reasonable exercise regimen can improve sleep quality to some extent, but there is a lack of comparative studies on the effects of different types of exercise, especially varying exercise doses, on sleep quality.
objectiveTo systematically evaluate the effects of different exercise modalities and doses on sleep quality.
methodsA search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of different exercise modalities on sleep quality, from database inception to November 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. Network meta-analysis and dose-response analysis were performed using Stata 16.0 and R software with a random-effects model.
resultsA total of 86 RCTs involving 7,276 participants were included. Six types of interventions were assessed: Aerobic Exercise (AE), Resistance Training (RT), Combined Aerobic and Resistance training (AE + RT), Yoga, Pilates, and Traditional Chinese Sports (TCS). The network meta-analysis results showed that compared to the control group, AE (SMD = -1.21, 95% CI: -1.50, -0.91, P < 0.01), RT (SMD = -1.12, 95% CI: -1.80, -0.44, P < 0.01), AE + RT (SMD = -1.11, 95% CI: -1.56, -0.66, P < 0.01), YOGA (SMD = -0.82, 95% CI: -1.22, -0.42, P < 0.01), Pilates (SMD = -1.65, 95% CI: -2.42, -0.88, P < 0.01), and TCS (SMD = -0.94, 95% CI: -1.28, -0.60, P < 0.01) all significantly improved sleep quality. The cumulative ranking probability (SUCRA) ranking showed that Pilates (91.7%) was the most effective, followed by AE (69.7%), AE + RT (59.4%), RT (58.6%), TCS (40.5%), and YOGA (30.1%). Additionally, the relationship between exercise dose and sleep quality was nonlinear, following a U-shaped curve. The overall optimal exercise dose for improving sleep quality was 920 MET-min/week. The optimal doses varied across exercise types, ranging from 390 MET-min/week for Pilates to 1,100 MET-min/week for aerobic exercise.
conclusionThis study provides strong support for non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality. For individuals aiming to improve their sleep through exercise, Pilates and aerobic exercise are recommended as the preferred options. Additionally, controlling the exercise dose within the optimal range (e.g., 920 MET-min/week) can significantly enhance the intervention effect. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.