Aerobic fitness and the sleeping brain of adolescents—a pilot study

Abstract

Study Objectives Aerobic fitness (AF) and sleep are major determinants of health in adolescents and impact neurocognitive and psychological development. However, little is known about the interactions between AF and sleep during the developmental transition experienced across adolescence. This study aimed to consider the relationships between AF and habitual sleep patterns and sleep neurophysiology in healthy adolescents. Methods Subjects (mean age=14.6±2.3 years old, range 11-17, 11 females) were evaluated for AF (peak VO2 assessed by ramp-type progressive cycle ergometry in the laboratory), habitual sleep duration and efficiency (7-14 days actigraphy), and topographic patterns of spectral power in slow wave, theta, and sleep spindle frequencies in non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep using overnight polysomnography with high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG, 128 channels). Results Significant relationships were observed between peak VO2 and habitual bedtime (r=-0.650, p=0.009) and wake-up time (r=-0.603, p=0.017), with greater fitness associated with going to bed and waking up earlier. Peak VO2 significantly predicted slow oscillations (0.5-1Hz, p=0.018) and theta activity (4.5-7.5Hz, p=0.002) over anterior frontal and central derivations (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively) after adjusting for sex and pubertal development stage. Similar associations were detected for fast sleep spindle activity (13-16Hz, p=0.006), which was greater over temporo-parietal derivations. Conclusions Greater AF was associated with a more mature pattern of topographically-specific features of sleep EEG known to support neuroplasticity and cognitive processes and which are dependent on prefrontal cortex and hippocampal function in adolescents and adults. AF was also correlated with a smaller behavioral sleep phase delay commonly seen during adolescence.

The association between sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk among children and adolescents in the United States (US): A NHANES study

“…Insufficient light exposure can disrupt the body's circadian rhythm leading to a loss of synchrony in not only the sleep wake cycle but many other metabolic and homeostatic processes that are influenced heavily by circadian processes (Blume et al, 2019). Physical activity has been shown to promote healthy sleep habits, improve sleep quality and duration in individuals through hormonal, neurological and metabolic mechanisms (Neikrug et al, 2021; Uchida et al, 2012; Wang, 2017). As it is already well established that physical activity effectively aids in the treatment of hypertension and obesity in addition to its positive impact on sleep found in this study, it seems that interventions that increase physical activity may be especially useful in treating insufficient sleep associated cardiometabolic risk.…”

“…. Physical activity has been shown to promote healthy sleep habits, improve sleep quality and duration in individuals through hormonal, neurological and metabolic mechanisms(Neikrug et al, 2021;Uchida et al, 2012;Wang, 2017). As it is already well established that physical activity effectively aids in the treatment of T A B L E 3 (Continued)…”

Effects of morning and evening physical exercise on subjective and objective sleep quality: an ecological study

“…Previously, Myllymäki et al (2011) and Thomas et al (2020) described an increasing trend in N2 sleep stage after evening exercise compared to no exercise. Neikrug et al (2021) stated aerobic fitness is associated with topographically specific elements of sleep physiology (e.g., N2 sleep spindles), which are known to support neuroplasticity and cognitive processes. Thus, pending further research to clarify the relationship between N2 sleep stage and exercise, these findings align with recent evidence suggesting the critical role of NREM sleep after exercise, while we observed that it may be independent of the exercise time.…”