The effect of three different exercise interventions on sleep quality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetic Neuropathy

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of three different exercise interventions on sleep quality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetic Neuropathy.

Method: The participants were 45 patients with type 2 diabetic neuropathy (age: 55.24±8.11 years, weight: 89.5±13.4 kg, duration of diabetes: 12.51±6.46 years) with suffering from sleep disorders with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) > 5. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: aerobic training (n= 11), dynamic resistant training (n= 11), combined-training (n= 11), or a non-exercise control group (n= 12). The exercise groups performed aerobic and resistance exercises for 25-45 minutes daily, 3-5 times per week for 12 weeks. PSQI scores were recorded at baseline and after 12 weeks of training. Paired t-test and one-way analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc analysis were performed using SPSS version 16.0 software at a significance level of less than 0.05.

Results: Data analysis showed a significant improvement in PSQI scores in the intervention groups (P<0.05). However, the results of data analysis with Tukey's post hoc test showed a better improvement in sleep quality in the resistance and combined training group. The analysis of the components of sleep quality also showed that after the post-test compared to the pre-test, in all three training groups, there was a significant improvement in the all components of sleep quality. (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Although resistance and combined training have a better effect on sleep quality compared to aerobic training, any type of training can be used to improve sleep quality according to the functional and medical conditions of people. These exercises can stimulate the production of endorphins, enhance the feeling of happiness during the day, and improve the quality of sleep during the night. On the other hand, it causes more energy consumption and thus improves the quality of sleep.