Morning Exercise for Sleep

(SiESTa 2 Trial)

Recruiting at 5 trial locations

Overseen By Research Coordinator

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Must not be taking: Sleep medications

Disqualifiers: Sleep disorders, Circadian disorders, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

62 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if switching exercise routines from evening to morning can improve sleep quality, mood, stress levels, and productivity for college students. The study focuses on students who already exercise in the evening but report poor sleep. Participants will either continue their usual evening workouts or switch to morning sessions. Ideal candidates for this trial are college students who exercise at night at least three times a week and feel their sleep is inadequate. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity for students to explore how changing exercise timing might enhance their overall well-being.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

If you are taking medications for sleep, you cannot participate in this trial. The protocol does not specify about other medications.

What prior data suggests that morning exercise is safe for improving sleep and mood?

Research shows that morning exercise is generally safe and can improve sleep. Studies indicate that regular physical activity, particularly in the morning, leads to better sleep quality and helps people fall asleep more quickly. Some research even suggests that morning exercise encourages earlier bedtimes.

Additionally, regular exercise can lower cortisol levels, a hormone related to stress. By reducing cortisol, exercise can enhance sleep and overall well-being.

These findings suggest that morning exercise is safe for most people and may enhance sleep quality and mood. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the trial examining morning exercise for improving sleep because it explores a simple lifestyle adjustment with the potential to enhance sleep quality. Unlike traditional sleep treatments like medication or evening exercise, shifting exercise to the morning could naturally align the body's internal clock with daylight hours, promoting more restful sleep. This approach could offer an accessible, non-pharmacological option for those struggling with sleep issues, emphasizing a proactive and holistic method to improve sleep without the side effects often associated with sleeping pills.

What evidence suggests that morning exercise is effective for improving sleep?

This trial will compare the effects of morning exercise with normal evening exercise on sleep quality. Research has shown that morning exercise can enhance sleep by making it easier to fall asleep and improving sleep quality. Studies have found that morning exercise can adjust the internal clock, leading to better sleep duration and quality. Evidence also suggests that morning workouts can reduce stress and boost mood by lowering feelings of depression, anxiety, and anger. While exercising at any time offers benefits, morning exercise is specifically linked to better sleep patterns and mood improvements. Participants in this trial will either switch their exercise times to the morning or continue their normal evening exercise routine. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Andrea Spaeth, PhD

Principal Investigator

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This study is for undergraduate students aged 18-23 who usually exercise in the evening but are struggling with poor sleep quality. Participants should be interested in shifting their workout routine to the morning to see if it helps improve their sleep, mood, stress levels, and productivity.

Inclusion Criteria

Frequent evening exercisers (6pm-11pm, 3+ times per week)

I often have trouble sleeping well.

I am a healthy college student between 18 and 23 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Sleep/circadian rhythm disorders

Inability to change schedule to exercise in the morning

Inability to maintain exercise frequency over the next 4 weeks

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants change their exercise times to the morning (6am-11am) or continue their normal evening exercise routine (6pm-11pm)

2 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in sleep quality, mood, stress, and productivity

2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Morning Exercise

Trial Overview

The trial is testing whether switching from evening to morning exercise can lead to better sleep (both quality and length), a more positive mood (less anxiety, depression, anger), less stress, and greater productivity among college students who don't sleep well.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Morning Exercise Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will change their exercise times to the morning (6am-11am).

Group II: Normal Exercise Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm has no intervention. Participants will continue to exercise at their normal evening time (6pm-11pm).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Lead Sponsor

Trials

471

Recruited

81,700+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A study involving five healthy university students found that late evening exercise at 50-60% VO2max for 1 hour improved subjective sleep quality the following morning.

Participants also reported decreased daytime sleepiness after engaging in late evening exercise, suggesting a potential benefit for overall alertness and well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of the timing of exercise on the night sleep. Yoshida, H., Ishikawa, T., Shiraishi, F., et al.[2013]

A 12-week study involving 100 adults with overweight or obesity showed that both morning and evening exercise significantly increased daily physical activity by about 12-22 minutes compared to baseline.

Participants in both exercise groups also reported improvements in their daily routines, including more sleep (up to 36 minutes) and less time spent on sedentary activities like watching TV or playing video games.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How do previously inactive individuals restructure their time to 'fit in' morning or evening exercise: a randomized controlled trial. Brooker, PG., Gomersall, SR., King, NA., et al.[2023]

In a study of 420 patients, it was found that higher levels of physical activity in the morning are significantly associated with greater increases in blood pressure and heart rate after waking, indicating that morning activity can influence cardiovascular responses.

The research suggests that when interpreting results from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the level of physical activity should be considered, as it can affect the magnitude of the morning surge in blood pressure.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The morning surge in blood pressure and heart rate is dependent on levels of physical activity after waking. Leary, AC., Struthers, AD., Donnan, PT., et al.[2019]

In a randomized controlled trial involving 209 elderly participants (average age 80), a home-based exercise program was found to be generally safe, with 151 adverse events reported, affecting 47% of participants.

Despite the program's safety, 14% of the adverse events were serious, highlighting that high levels of pre-existing morbidity in this population can pose challenges to maintaining consistent exercise participation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events in mobility-limited and chronically ill elderly adults participating in an exercise intervention study supported by general practitioner practices. Hinrichs, T., Bücker, B., Wilm, S., et al.[2015]

Researchers in resistance training studies often lack clear guidance and motivation for thorough adverse event (AE) reporting, which can lead to inconsistent practices.

There is a need for exercise-specific guidelines for AE reporting, as current standards are perceived as not applicable to exercise trials, highlighting the importance of tailored strategies to improve reporting consistency.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Researchers' perspectives on adverse event reporting in resistance training trials: a qualitative study. El-Kotob, R., Pagcanlungan, JR., Craven, BC., et al.[2022]

Mild physical activity before bedtime does not change sleep patterns but increases heart rate variability during slow-wave sleep, indicating a potential impact on sleep quality.

The study found that exercising up to 1 hour before sleep leads to a higher low-frequency/high-frequency (LF/HF) ratio, suggesting reduced parasympathetic activity, which may affect overall sleep quality.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Elevated variance in heart rate during slow-wave sleep after late-night physical activity. Bulckaert, A., Exadaktylos, V., Haex, B., et al.[2011]

In young adults, higher daily energy expenditure is associated with better sleep efficiency, but this relationship weakens in older adults, indicating age-related changes in how physical activity affects sleep.

A 12-month exercise training program improved physical fitness in older participants but did not lead to significant changes in sleep efficiency or other sleep characteristics, suggesting that exercise may be more beneficial for those with existing sleep issues rather than for healthy older individuals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of physical fitness and daily energy expenditure on sleep efficiency in young and older humans. Oudegeest-Sander, MH., Eijsvogels, TH., Verheggen, RJ., et al.[2022]

Morning symptoms are prevalent in COPD patients, affecting 39.8% to 94.4% of individuals, and are linked to reduced physical activity levels, indicating a significant impact on daily functioning.

Treatments aligned with clinical guidelines can significantly reduce activity limitations caused by morning symptoms (p<0.0001), suggesting that addressing these symptoms should be a key focus in managing COPD.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Association between morning symptoms and physical activity in COPD: a systematic review. van Buul, AR., Kasteleyn, MJ., Chavannes, NH., et al.[2022]

In a 1.5-year study involving 274 male veterans with cardiovascular disease risk factors, only one serious adverse event (atrial fibrillation) occurred, indicating that a progressive walking program can be safely recommended for high-risk individuals.

While minor musculoskeletal issues were common, over half of the reported adverse events were unrelated to the exercise program, highlighting the need for strategies to help individuals with chronic illnesses safely resume physical activity after any health setbacks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adverse events among high-risk participants in a home-based walking study: a descriptive study. Goodrich, DE., Larkin, AR., Lowery, JC., et al.[2022]

Exercise therapy may improve sleep architecture in individuals without sleep disorders, potentially due to its effects on body temperature and metabolic function, although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood.

In people with obstructive sleep apnea, supervised exercise therapy can reduce daytime sleepiness, but its impact on overall sleep quality remains unclear, highlighting the need for more rigorous studies to establish effective exercise guidelines for various sleep disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sleep disorders and exercise: a mini-review. Shah, NM., Bennett, C., Hassan, H., et al.[2023]

In a review of over 5,500 participants from 11 physical activity interventions, no serious study-related adverse events were reported, indicating a high level of safety in these exercise programs.

While minor musculoskeletal injuries were noted, the studies emphasized a 'start low and go slow' approach, suggesting that moderate-intensity physical activity is safe and effective for sedentary, chronically ill, or older populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Screening, safety, and adverse events in physical activity interventions: collaborative experiences from the behavior change consortium. Ory, M., Resnick, B., Jordan, PJ., et al.[2022]

Participants with chronic health conditions expressed that adverse events (AEs) from resistance training (RT) significantly impact their willingness to engage in future exercise, highlighting the importance of understanding both the risks and benefits of RT.

The study identified that personal experiences, health conditions, and the environment in which RT occurs influence perceptions of safety and participation, suggesting that better communication about the risks of AEs is essential to encourage RT among individuals with chronic health issues.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Exploring participants' perspectives on adverse events due to resistance training: a qualitative study. El-Kotob, R., Pagcanlungan, JR., Craven, BC., et al.[2023]

A 12-week moderate exercise training program improved physical fitness, body composition, and subjective sleep quality in overweight and obese adults, regardless of whether the exercise was done in the morning or evening.

While both morning and evening exercise led to similar overall benefits, morning workouts advanced sleep timing, while evening workouts delayed it, suggesting flexibility in scheduling exercise without compromising health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of morning versus evening exercise training on sleep, physical activity, fitness, fatigue and quality of life in overweight and obese adults. Saidi, O., Colin, E., Rance, M., et al.[2021]

Vigorous late-night exercise does not negatively impact overall sleep quality, as measured by polysomnography, actigraphy, and subjective assessments, in a study of 11 physically fit young adults.

While sleep quality remained stable, late-night exercise was associated with increased heart rate during the first few hours of sleep, suggesting potential effects on cardiac autonomic control.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of vigorous late-night exercise on sleep quality and cardiac autonomic activity. Myllymäki, T., Kyröläinen, H., Savolainen, K., et al.[2011]

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