0316 INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS AND EXERCISE DOSE: RISK REDUCTION IN MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2017-04, Vol.40 (suppl_1), p.A117-A117
• Main Authors: Morse, CD, Klingman, K, Jacob, B, Kodali, L, Mahon, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hot flash; Insomnia; Middle age; Sleep
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.315

Abstract Introduction: Women during menopause transition are at increased risk for insomnia. While exercise demonstrates significance to reduce symptoms, the dose is ill-defined in the literature. The purpose of this study was to describe sleep, insomnia symptoms, and exercise in efforts to develop a natural insomnia risk reduction exercise dose preference for 40-60-year-old (middle-aged) women. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design queried women about sleep, exercise, and nocturnal hot flashes. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) identified those with insomnia symptoms. The data analyzed by binomial regression statistics to identify insomnia risk reduction using exercise report and open-ended questions to describe the phenomena. An ISI, seven-component, factor analysis investigated useful items to improve Cronbach’s Alpha for internal consistency in this population. Results: Our study demonstrated significant differences in insomnia symptoms between reported exercise of participants (n=71) with control of hot-flashes, resulting in an identified dose for risk reduction (p .05. The ISI construct with seven questions resulted in a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.89) and the internal consistency improved, if reduced to 6 items (removing item #4 satisfied) as determined by a Cronbach’s Alpha 0.91. Conclusion: Our study results allows for a preventative exercise dose suggestion for middle-aged women and a brief insomnia pre-screening (inquiring about nocturnal hot flashes, worry about sleep, and exercise) to prompt further investigation about their sleep problem. Our study is limited by sample size; however, we feel it provides insight into an existing exercise regimen that would be helpful in preventing insomnia symptoms during women’s menopausal transition. Support (If Any): None.