Dear All
There is a relationship between sleep and exercise although the evidence is
still not conclusive.
It appears that gentle exercise enhances and improves NREM sleep and may
therefore have a strategic role in helping sleep after shiftwork or
transmeridian travel. However vigorous exercise in the form of a gym work
out, whilst clearly improving cardiovascular and general fitness is
'alerting' and makes sleep onset difficult for some hours after.
In terms of ability to sleep and quality of sleep it is therefore a balance
between maintaining fitness but not exercising too close to bedtime.
However, if sleep is delayed for some reason by shifts or travel then gentle
exercise, such as a walk may help promote NREM sleep.
Regards
David
David J C Flower, MD, FFOM
Chief Occupational Physician
Group Head of Occupational Health
Centrica plc
Tel: 01753 494257
Fax: 01753 494258
Email:[log in to unmask]
>
-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Dowson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 September 2003 08:40
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Fitness" and alertness
Hello All
There is a document called "Physical Activity and Mental Health - national
consensus statements and guidelines for practice, edited by Trudie Grant,
which gives an outline of the findings of a symposium which reviewed and
debated the body of evidence surrounding physical activity and mental health
in 1999.
There are correlations/causal links/associations etc. between:
exercise and decreased clinical depression
exercise and decreased anxiety
exercise and positive mood and affect
exercise and self-esteem
fitness and cognitive performance
Whether you can tie this in to alertness, I suggest you read the document,
but I would suspect there is a link bearing in mind the impact of
depression, anxiety, positive moods, self-esteem and cognitive performance
has on alertness.
There is also a link with certain exercise/activities and the enhancement of
the quality of someone's sleep. I would suggest that there would be a link
between quality of sleep and alertness.
We are currently looking into an exercise programme for workers have sleep
problems to help them improve the quality of sleep. We have noticed that
lack of sleep is often cited as the 'last straw' when it comes round to
sickness absence for stress and chronic health problems.
Hope this helps
Amanda Dowson RGN DPS(OH) BA(Hons) MIOSH
Occupational Healthcare Solutions Ltd
01422 207791
-----Original Message-----
From: Kate Venables
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 26 September 2003 16:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Fitness" and alertness
Interesting - could you circulate the answers? Someone from a health
promotion background might know - Kate
>>> David Bulpitt <[log in to unmask]> 24/09/03 20:58:00 >>>
I have been approached by one of Essex Police's managers asking
whether
there is a proven correlation between physical fitness and alertness/
concentration. I have googled, medlined embased etc but can really
only
get soft stuff off the databases or loud opinions from people with axes
to
grind from google.
Is anyone aware of anything concrete or is one of those "everyone
knows"
that it is true?
Many thanks!
David
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