Lifting for a Better Night’s Sleep: What Science Says
Young women find restful nights after just 6 weeks of resistance training.
Ever toss and turn at night, no matter what you try? What if just six weeks of strength training could help you sleep better, regardless of your body fat?
Struggling with poor sleep is common, especially among young women. This study explores whether a short spell of strength training can actually improve sleep quality, and if body fat levels make any difference.
PMID: 40156675
Key Points
Population: 35 young women, split into obese (≥21 kg fat mass) and non-obese (<21 kg fat mass) groups.
Intervention: Six weeks of progressive, full-body resistance training.
Outcome Measures: Sleep quality assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before and after the training period.
Main Question: Does resistance training improve sleep, and is the effect influenced by body fat?
Aim
To determine the effects of six weeks of resistance training on sleep quantity and quality in young women, and to see if these effects depend on body fat levels.
Methods
Participants: 35 young women, divided based on the 90th percentile of fat mass (obese group: ≥21 kg, n=16; non-obese group: <21 kg, n=19).
Training Program: Progressive, full-body resistance training for six weeks.
Assessment: Subjective sleep quality and disturbances were measured with the PSQI before and after the intervention.
Results
Overall Sleep Improvement: The total sleep score decreased (improved), and both subjective sleep quality and sleep disturbances improved significantly after six weeks of resistance training.
Effect Sizes:
Overall sleep score: p=0.006p=0.006, η2=0.21η2=0.21
Subjective sleep quality: p<0.001p<0.001, η2=0.357η2=0.357
Sleep disturbances: p=0.034p=0.034, η2=0.129η2=0.129
No Effect of Body Fat: No significant interaction between group (obese vs. non-obese) and training for sleep parameters or body composition. No significant correlations were found between sleep quality, fat mass, or fat-free mass.
Related
Practical Takeaways
Who Benefits: Young women, regardless of body fat, can see better sleep quality after just six weeks of resistance training.
What to Do: Start a progressive, full-body resistance training program. Even short-term commitment can make a big difference.
No Need to Worry About Body Fat: The benefits for sleep are the same whether you have more or less body fat, so focus on consistency, not weight loss, for better sleep.