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Sleep restriction contributed to somatic symptoms in healthy adults
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Sleep restriction was a more potent contributor to the development of somatic symptoms than was exercise deprivation in healthy adults, and women showed more sensitivity to these restrictions than men, according to study results.
“Behavioral responses to some acute stressors may contribute to the development of chronic somatic symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, memory difficulties and mood disturbances, much like those associated with ‘functional somatic syndromes’ [FSS] such as fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome,” the researchers reported.
Ninety-four healthy, active adults (mean age, 27.2 years; 61% women) were studied, with 87 participants completing the trial. They reported sleeping between 7 and 9 hours nightly and exercising daily (mean weekly running, 5.14 hours) and were randomly assigned to the following groups: exercise cessation, sleep restriction (6 hours nightly), both exercise cessation and sleep restriction, or neither. Before and after a 10-day restriction period, pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and negative mood symptoms were measured.
“There were no significant interactions between exercise cessation and sleep restriction, except that males were much more likely to develop somatic symptoms when deprived of both sleep and exercise than one or the other,” the researchers said. “Women were generally much more likely to develop somatic symptoms than men.”
Sleep restrictions (P<.001) and exercise deprivation (P=.021) were significant effects for fatigue.
“Sleep restriction appeared to be a much more potent stressor than was exercise deprivation, since exercise deprivation did not result in significant changes in the composite symptom score,” the investigators wrote. “The effects of exercise deprivation were limited to increased fatigue.
“The results of this study have implications not only for management of FSS, but for primary prevention as well.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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