Associations of sleep duration with physical fitness performance and self-perception of health: a cross-sectional study of Taiwanese adults aged 23–45

Abstract

Background The relationship between sleep duration and physical fitness is one aspect of sleep health. Potential factors associated with sleep duration interfere with physical fitness performance, but the impact trends on physical fitness indicators remain unclear. Methods This study examined associations between sleep duration and physical fitness among young to middle-aged adults in Taiwan. A total of 42,781 Taiwanese adults aged 23–45 participated in the National Physical Fitness Examination Survey 2013 (NPFES-2013) in Taiwan between October 2013 and March 2014. A standardized structural questionnaire was used to record participants’ sleep duration, which was stratified as short (< 6 h/day (h/d)), moderate (6–7 h/d; 7–8 h/d; 8-9 h), and long (≥ 9 h/d) sleep duration groups. Physical fitness was assessed based on four components: body composition (body mass index [BMI], waist-to-height ratio [WHtR], and waist-to-hip ratio [WHR]), muscle strength and endurance (1-min bent-leg sit-up test [BS]), flexibility (sit-and-reach test [SR]), and cardiorespiratory endurance index (3-min step test [CEI]). Results By using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), after sex grouping and age adjustment, we observed that sleep duration was significantly associated with obesity, functional fitness, and self-perception of health. The sleep duration for low obesity-related values (BMI, WHtR, and WHR) for men was 7–9 h/d, and that for women was 7–8 h/d. Sleeping more than 8 h/d showed poor functional fitness performances (BS and SR). For both sexes, sleep duration of 8–9 h/d was the optimal sleep duration for self-perceptions of health. Conclusions Our research found that there were wide and different associations of sleep duration with physical fitness and self-perception of health among Taiwanese adults aged 23–45, and there were differences in these associated manifestations between men and women. This study could be of great importance in regional public health management in Taiwan, and provide inspirations for clinical research on physical fitness.

Duration of Daytime Napping Is Related to Physical Fitness among Chinese University Students

“…In addition, it has been reported that napping normalizes sleep loss-induced biochemical disruption [ 34 ]. Thus, daytime napping could be related with physical fitness due to sleep, and oxidant status is an important factor for physical fitness [ 12 , 35 ]. However, the explanation that links daytime napping and physical fitness in university students is different from that in athletes.…”

“…The pressure of independent living and busy schoolwork may result in lack of time for physical activity [ 9 ], which may lead to the physical fitness status remaining stagnant or even declining. In addition to the direct effects of physical activity, other approaches have been linked to physical enhancement, such as nutrition [ 10 ], dietary habits [ 11 ], and sleep habits [ 12 ].…”

Relationship of Upper Limb Strength and Flexibility among Collegiate Male Tennis Players: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The examiner instructs participants to bend body slowly and records the maximum distance reached by their fingertips in cm. [12]…”