Exercise Is Great for Sleep in People with Psychiatric Illness

Insomnia is common in individuals with psychiatric illness and can impair brain development, cognition, immune function, mood, glucose metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health. Exercise (especially >150 minutes/week at moderate intensities) can improve sleep in the general population. To learn about the effects of exercise on sleep quality in patients with psychiatric illness, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of eight trials (N=1199).

Patients' diagnoses included major depression, substance use disorder (SUD), post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder; studies examined aerobic and resistance exercise, either separately or combined; mind-body exercise (e.g., tai chi and yoga); and resistance train…