Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Department of Physical Education, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
Abstract
Background: Sleep disorders significantly impact physical and mental health, particularly among adolescents, by disrupting immune and inflammatory systems. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of sleep hygiene, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and their combined effect on sleep quality and serum levels of inflammatory markers (IL-1β, IgA, and cortisol) in adolescent girls with sleep disorders. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a pre-test and post-test design was employed. The participants, consisting of adolescent girls diagnosed with sleep disturbances, were assigned to intervention groups including sleep hygiene, HIIT program, and a combined group (HIIT + sleep hygiene). The HIIT protocol involved repeated bouts of intense activity near maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), while the sleep hygiene protocol focused on increasing nocturnal sleep duration. Serum levels of IL-1β, IgA, and cortisol were measured as primary inflammatory and stress indicators. Preliminary analysis suggests that while both HIIT and sleep hygiene independently improve sleep quality, the combination of physical activity and increased sleep duration shows a more significant synergistic effect on modulating inflammatory responses. Specifically, regular exercise combined with adequate recovery through sleep extension is expected to lower cortisol and IL-1β levels while improving immune function as reflected by IgA levels.Integrating physical exercise with sleep hygiene not only improves sleep quality but also helps mitigate the systemic inflammation associated with chronic sleep deprivation, offering a holistic strategy for enhancing adolescent health.
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