Outcomes of a walking exercise intervention in postpartum women with disordered sleep.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week stride walking exercise intervention on sleep quality, fatigue, and depression in postpartum women with poor sleep quality.
Results Summary
The study found that the walking intervention significantly improved physical symptoms associated with sleep inefficiency at 4 weeks, but no significant differences were observed in fatigue or depression at 4 or 12 weeks compared to the control group.
Population
Postpartum women with poor sleep quality (PSQS score ≥16) in southern Taiwan.
Effective Dosage
20-30 minutes of stride walking (frequency not specified).
Duration
12 weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a 12-week stride walking exercise intervention | decrease | physical symptoms associated with sleep inefficiency | postpartum women with poor sleep quality | - | perceived milder physical symptoms associated with sleep inefficiency | #1 |
a 12-week stride walking exercise intervention | no change | fatigue | postpartum women with poor sleep quality | - | no significant differences were found | #2 |
a 12-week stride walking exercise intervention | no change | depression | postpartum women with poor sleep quality | - | no significant differences were found | #3 |
20-30 min of stride walking | increase | sleep quality | postpartum women with disordered sleep | - | to improve | #4 |
AIM: Good sleep quality is essential to physical and mental-health-related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a walking exercise in relieving sleep quality, fatigue, and depression in new mothers during the postpartum period. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at a teaching hospital in southern Taiwan. One hundred and four eligible postpartum women with poor sleep quality (Postpartum Sleep Quality Scale; PSQS score ≧16) were assigned to either the experimental group (n = 50) or the control group (n = 54) according to their individual preferences. The participants in the experimental group participated in a 12-week stride walking exercise intervention. The control group did not receive any exercise intervention. The PSQS, Postpartum Fatigue Scale, and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale were used to assess outcomes. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated that the experimental group participants perceived milder physical symptoms associated with sleep inefficiency at 4-week posttest (F = 7.25, p < 0.01) than their control group peers. However, no significant differences were found between two groups in terms of either fatigue or depression at 4-week and 12-week posttest. CONCLUSION: Significant improvement in the physical symptoms associated with sleep inefficiency was observed. The findings may be used to encourage postpartum women with disordered sleep to incorporate 20-30 min of stride walking into their regular routine to improve sleep quality.