Joint Associations Between Physical Activity And Pm2.5 Exposure On Sleep Quality And Sleep Duration

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is known to benefit to sleep health, and the detrimental effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on sleep are also recognized. However, the combined impact of various PA types under PM2.5 exposure on sleep health is not well-understood. PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the joint effects of different types of PA and PM2.5 exposure on sleep duration and sleep quality. METHODS: Our analyzed accelerometry and self-reported PA alongside sleep metrics from the UK Biobank, comprising over 502,000 participants aged 37-73. We used accelerometer-measured daily averages for Light Physical Activity (LPA), Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA), and sleep, along with questionnaire-derived Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) values. Sleep quality was rated from 0-5, based on duration, chronotype, sleeplessness, daytime sleepiness, and snoring. Linear Regression Models were employed to evaluate the effects of PA and PM2.5 on sleep duration and quality using participants' residential data for exposure assessment. RESULTS: Our analysis demonstrated a significant positive association between sleep quality and PA like walking and MVPA. The derived β-values and their respective 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) were substantial: 0.0062 (0.0039, 0.0085) for walking and 0.0084 (0.0072, 0.0095) for MVPA. However, every 1 ug/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations was associated with a decrease in sleep quality, with β-values showing negative impacts (Controlling for MVPA: β = -0.0192, 95% CI = -0.0237, -0.0147; Controlling for walking: β = -0.0170, 95% CI = -0.0220, -0.0119). Additionally, for every increase in accelerometer-measured daily time of LPA, a corresponding decrease in sleep duration was noted (LPA: β = -0.0458, 95% CI = -0.0471, -0.0444; MVPA: β = -0.0466, 95% CI = -0.0515, -0.0418). LPA (β = 0.0034, 95% CI = -0.0036, 0.0104) and walking (β = -0.0031, 95% CI = -0.0054, -7.29*10-4) exhibited interactive effects with PM2.5 on sleep duration. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores that while walking and MVPA are beneficial for sleep quality, their positive impact is impaired by PM2.5 exposure. PA and PM2.5 exhibit an interaction effect on sleep duration. These insights are crucial for public health strategies, particularly in environments with prevalent PM2.5 pollution.