The Effect of Walking Exercise on Sleep Quality in Sedentary Healthy Adults
Condition: Walking; Sleep; Stress, Psychological; Lifestyle, Sedentary; Life Change Events
MeSH terms: Stress, Psychological
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The primary goal of this study is to examine the effect of one-hour walking exercise on sleep
      quality in adults. The second goal of this study is to explore a feasible exercise method to
      promote sleep quality to all age groups, in order to improve sleep quality in overall
      population. The study attempts to unfold how the daily exercise, such as walking, benefits
      sleep quality. This study hypothesis that one-hour walking improves sleep quality in general
      population.
    

Detailed description: 
      In order to test the hypothesis that walking exercise improves sleep quality in general
      population, the investigators conducted a randomized (case-control) cross-over trial. The
      targeted population is the physically and mentally healthy adults (18+). The health status
      was self-reported, the investigators did not organize physical and mental examination for
      participants in this study. The investigators recruited participants both online and
      off-line. The call-for-participants advertisement distributed in social media platforms such
      as Facebook, WeChat etc.

      There were two groups in this study: walking group, and control group. The
      call-for-participants advertisement was distributed through online platforms and by posters.
      In the advertisement, all people were welcomed to participate, after receiving the
      applications, the investigators assessed the participant. In order to test the hypothesis
      that walking exercise improve sleep quality in general population, the investigators
      conducted a randomized (case-control) cross-over trial.

      Participants can only be accepted after approval from the research team who performed the
      group discussion and evaluation of the sedentary behavior. If the participants meet the
      sedentary criteria, the participants would be informed the consent and terms and conditions
      to participate the study. Participants were randimzed into two groups by lottery
      (intervention and control group). The first phase intervention lasted for four weeks. At the
      beginning and at end of the intervention, the investigators assessed the sleep quality of
      participants by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and
      Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). The second phase was a wash period (4-week) and the
      third phase was a 4-week intervention. It has to be noted that at the beginning of the third
      phase, the participants in the two groups exchanged their role to receive active
      interventions. Participants in each group were coded by an autonomous number with characters.

      Walking exercise was self-controlled and tracked by daily dairy and pedometers. All of the
      participants are obligated to record the start and end time of walking every day. And
      pedometers (mode: Omron HJ-112) were used for tracking walking steps including heart rate,
      calories and miles. For the ones who were in the control group, they had to keep sedentary
      lifestyle.

      The participants had the responsibility to carry out the walking practice every day in the
      first and third phase. Every participant was counselled and gave their written informed
      consent before entering into the trial. The participation of this project was voluntary,
      unpaid. During the trial, all participants were free to quit the project with reasonable
      reasons, the investigators will not force anyone to continue the project if they cannot
      insist on. The investigators would inform the results of the first phase if the participant
      requests.
    

Intervention name(s): Aerobic walking intervention
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Walking exercise is self-controlled and tracked by daily dairy. All of the participants are obligated to record the start and end time of walking every day. And pedometers will be used for tracking walking steps including heart rate and calories. We plan to use pedometer in our study, which was reported the most accurate pedometer and suitable for scientific research. For the ones who are in the control group, they have to keep sedentary lifestyle, and no regular walking exercise, and they are agree to be in the comparable members in our study.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research