Study: Exercise improves sleep and daytime awareness

As people age, the body’s natural sleep/wake cycles (circadian rhythms) can get out of kilter. But the more a person exercises, the better the body can maintain its own internal clock, according to a study published in The Journals of Gerontology A.

Researchers used three groups of older adults, classified by peak oxygen consumption. They compared the ability of the participants in each group to maintain core temperature and rest/activity cycles. The study also monitored sleep and tested participant’s skills in a car simulator.

Participants with higher levels of peak oxygen, representing physical capacity, had less restlessness at night and better simulated driving skills during the day.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.