The chain mediating effect of psychological inflexibility and stress between physical exercise and adolescent insomnia

Exploring the impact of physical exercise on adolescent insomnia and the chained mediating role of psychological inflexibility and stress between them. In September 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 416 adolescents in Xiangxi Prefecture, collecting data on physical activity, insomnia, psychological inflexibility, stress, and related variables. Statistical analysis was performed, involving 215 boys and 201 girls with an average age of 15.37 ± 0.54 years. (1) Adolescent physical exercise showed significant negative correlations with stress (r =-0.329, P < 0.01), Psychological inflexibility (r =-0.251, P < 0.01), and insomnia (r =-0.286, P < 0.01). Stress exhibited significant positive correlations with Psychological inflexibility (r = 0.746, P < 0.01) and insomnia (r = 0.601, P < 0.01). Psychological inflexibility also demonstrated a significant positive correlation with insomnia (r = 0.555, P < 0.01). (2) Psychological inflexibility and stress were found to mediate the relationship between physical exercise and adolescent insomnia. This study found that the relationship between physical exercise and adolescent insomnia can be mediated by psychological inflexibility and stress, thereby further enriching the understanding of the psychological mechanisms linking these variables. It is recommended that governments and schools implement corresponding measures to promote adolescent participation in physical exercise. These initiatives can help reduce adolescents' levels of Psychological Inflexibility, alleviate stress and insomnia issues, and simultaneously enhance their sleep quality, thereby promoting comprehensive development of their physical and mental health.