How Physical Activity and Prolonged Sitting Impact Sleep Disorders
How Physical Activity and Prolonged Sitting Impact Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders refer to a range of conditions associated with abnormalities in the sleep process, including difficulties in initiating and maintaining sleep, waking up prematurely, excessive daytime sleepiness, and poor sleep quality
Recent research has found that sleep disorders can lead to decreased immune functioning and a downturn in multiple organ functions, and even trigger various chronic conditions such as cardiovascular events, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes
Is there a connection with the amount of physical activity and sleep?
Long-term physical inactivity may lead to the decrease in sleep quality and an increase in the risk of sleep disorders
Let's discuss work, physical activity, and sleep disorders:
Participants with higher amounts of moderate-to-vigorous work physical activity may have higher levels of work stress as well as greater physical burdens, leading to a higher risk of developing sleep disorders. This leads to people who work MORE than 450 minutes a day (7.5 hours) having a 28.9% INCREASE in risk of developing a sleep disorder
It is also suggested from research that high peak physical activity in those with high work load jobs can also lead to sleep problems
Now let's discuss recreational physical activity and sleep disorders
Research in 2025 found that those with moderate-to-vigorous recreational physical activity had an average 23.6% lower risk of developing sleep disorders compared to participants with no recreational physical activity
It is believed that this IMPROVES sleep due to reducing stress and increasing psychological resilience
Recreational physical activity may lead to greater secretion of catecholamines, dopamine, and endorphins, which can be pleasurable and reduce physical and mental pain
Sedentary behaviour and sleep disorders
Dr Julian has talked in other health blogs about the dangers of sitting more than 6 hours a day on the body, Now research has looked into sitting and sleep
YOU have a 52.2% INCREASE chance of having sleep problems if you sit for more than 600 minutes in a 24 hour period
What could 600 minutes look like in a day?
60 Minutes drive to work
420 Minutes sitting at the work desk for an average work day
60 Minutes Drive home
90 Minutes of TV time
It's very easy to hit that 600-minute mark.
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Zhang, J., Mo, H., Feng, J. et al. Association between physical activity across diversed domains and sedentary behavior with sleep disorders. Sci Rep 15, 15911 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-00857-y
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