Exercise has long been known to have numerous health benefits, and now, a new study suggests that resistance or muscle-strengthening exercise may be the best type of exercise for tackling insomnia in older adults. Published in the open-access journal Family Medicine and Community Health, the study conducted a pooled data analysis of existing research to determine the most effective types of exercise for improving sleep quality in older individuals.
The researchers found that aerobic exercise, as well as a combination of strength, aerobic, balance, and flexibility exercises, also showed promising results in improving sleep quality among older adults. With sleep quality often deteriorating with age and up to one in five older adults experiencing insomnia, finding effective ways to improve sleep is crucial for overall health and well-being.
The study included a total of 24 clinical trials involving 2,045 adults aged 60 and older, with most studies conducted in Asia, North America, South America, and Europe. The exercises tested in the trials included aerobic activities like cycling, dancing, swimming, brisk walking, and gardening, as well as resistance exercises using weights, push-ups, and planks, among others.
The results of the pooled data analysis revealed that combined exercise significantly improved the Global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (GPSQI) by 2.35 points, while aerobic exercise improved it by 4.35 points. However, when using a network meta-analysis approach, which considers both direct and indirect effects, strength/resistance exercise was found to be the most effective, improving the GPSQI by 5.75 points.
The researchers noted that while some exercises may be challenging for older individuals due to physical limitations, both strengthening and aerobic exercises were shown to be beneficial for enhancing subjective sleep quality at a clinically significant level compared to normal activities. The study also highlighted the importance of exercise intensity and frequency in improving sleep quality in older adults.
In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that incorporating resistance or muscle-strengthening exercise into a regular exercise routine may be particularly beneficial for older adults struggling with insomnia. By engaging in these types of exercises, older individuals may not only improve their sleep quality but also experience a range of other health benefits associated with regular physical activity.
For more information on this study, you can refer to the article “Impact of different types of physical exercise on sleep quality in older population with insomnia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials” published in Family Medicine and Community Health in 2025.
