SynthesisThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2026
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.
Synthesis in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Voluntary wheel running behavior is reduced by SARS-CoV-2 S1 administration and mitigates hypothalamic neuroinflammatory processes.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundInsomnia is a prevalent public health concern with significant consequences for well-being. While physical activity (PA) is recognized as a beneficial non-pharmacological intervention, its precise dose-response relationship with subjective sleep quality remains insufficiently quantified. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy of PA on subjective sleep quality in patients with insomnia and to quantitatively delineate the dose–response relationship using Bayesian meta-analysis.
methodsA systematic search was conducted across Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library from inception to February 2026. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of PA on subjective sleep quality in participants diagnosed with insomnia were included. A Bayesian random-effects meta-analysis was performed to calculate pooled effect sizes (Hedges’g) with 95% Credible Intervals (CrI). Dose–response relationships were modelled using restricted cubic splines to identify minimum and optimal dosages. Dosage was expressed as the weekly volume in MET-minutes (Metabolic Equivalent of Task × minutes/week). The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach.
results24 RCTs involving 1,591 participants were included. Bayesian synthesis indicated low evidence that PA significantly improves subjective sleep quality compared with inactive controls (Hedges’g = -0.56, 95% CrI: -0.68, -0.45). Dose–response analysis revealed a non-linear “L-shaped” relationship. Benefits accrued rapidly at lower volumes, with a minimum effective dose estimated at 100 METs-min/week. The therapeutic effect peaked at an optimal dose of approximately 650 METs-min/week (Hedges’g = -0.64, 95% CrI: -0.85, -0.44), beyond which additional volume yielded diminishing marginal returns. Moderation analyses indicated that the effect was more pronounced in adults (Hedges’ g = -1.00) than in older adults (Hedges’ g = -0.51), and was consistent across different diagnostic methods and measurement instruments. Various types of exercise, including aerobic, strength, mind-body, and multicomponent training, all demonstrated beneficial effects.
conclusionsPhysical activity is an effective treatment for insomnia, characterized by an L-shaped dose–response curve. The relationship is characterized by a rapid initial benefit at low volumes, with a statistically significant response observed at 100 MET-min/week and a plateau in effect occurring at approximately 650 MET-min/week, beyond which additional volume yields diminishing returns.
trial registrationCRD420251172873.
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Registered trials
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.