Exercise, Sleep Disturbances, and Related Dementia Diseases

Many papers discuss the effects of exercise on sleep and vice versa, but few synthesize this research. This review aims to aggregate findings and clarify their interactions. Exercise can significantly improve sleep quality by reducing sleep latency, minimizing wakefulness after sleep onset, and increasing sleep efficiency. Furthermore, exercise may also decrease the duration of REM sleep while extending slow-wave sleep. On the other hand, these effects may change depending on the timing of exercise before bedtime. Sleep, particularly slow-wave sleep, is crucial for brain health and it is linked to dementia, which is largely due to its role in brain cleaning processes. Exercise also alleviates sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea, and it can aid individuals with Parkinson’s disease by boosting their dopamine levels. Despite these benefits, the precise effects of exercise on sleep homeostasis and the mechanisms linking sleep to dementia remain areas that require further investigation.