Evaluation of a program of physical exercise on blood markers and sleep quality in elderly

Dilton dos Santos Silva; Felipe José Aidar Martins; Dihogo Gama de Matos; Raphael Fabrício de Souza; Osvaldo Costa Moreira; Marcelo Danillo dos Santos; Gilvandro Oliveira Barros; Andres Armas Alejo; Breno Guilherme Tinoco Cabral; Anderson Carlos Marçal; Albená Nunes da Silva

doi:10.33155/j.ramd.2019.05.009

Dilton dos Santos Silva Department of Physical Education. Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristóvão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Felipe José Aidar Martins Department of Physical Education. Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Post Graduate Program in Physical Education. Post Graduate Program in Physiological Science. Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristóvão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Dihogo Gama de Matos Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristovão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Raphael Fabrício de Souza Department of Physical Education. Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristovão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Osvaldo Costa Moreira Institute of Biological Sciences and Health. Federal University of Viçosa. Campus Florestal. Minas Gerais. Brazil.
Marcelo Danillo dos Santos Department of Physical Education. Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristovão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Gilvandro Oliveira Barros Department of Physical Education. Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristovão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Andres Armas Alejo Department of Physical Education. Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristovão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Breno Guilherme Tinoco Cabral Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Natal. Brazil.
Anderson Carlos Marçal Group of Studies and Research of Performance, Sport, Health and Paralympic Sports (GEPEPS). Post Graduate Program in Physical Education. Department of Morphology. Federal University of Sergipe. São Cristóvão. Sergipe. Brazil.
Albená Nunes da Silva Exercise’s Inflammation and Immunology Laboratory. Sports Center. Federal University of Ouro Preto. Minas Gerais. Brazil.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33155/j.ramd.2019.05.009

Keywords: Physical exercise, Blood markers, Sleep quality

Abstract

Objective: Analyze the effects of a physical exercise program on blood markers and sleep quality in the elderly.

Method: A total of 112 elderly people with metabolic diseases controlled by hypocholesterolemic and hypoglycemic medications participated in the study. The participants were divided into two groups, an exercise group composed of 54 individuals with a mean age of 62 years and control group of 58 individuals with a mean age of 63 years.

Results: Blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels showed a mean reduction of 27.47, 18.13, and 23.48 mg/dl, respectively, and an increase of 8.98 mg/dl in the high-density lipoprotein level was seen. A significant change was seen in the low-density lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, and calcium levels on comparing the exercise group post-test values with that of the control group pre-test. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score showed a significant reduction of 3.15 (p < 0.001, μp2=0.78) on comparing the exercise group with the control group.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that the physical exercise program, consisting of supervised walking and gymnastics with localized quadriceps muscle strengthening exercises, performed for 16 weeks at a frequency of three times a week for 60 min, was effective in improving the low-density lipoprotein and very-low-density lipoprotein levels and sleep quality of the elderly.