Exercise review found mixed sleep results in children and teenagers
Sleep-quality results were statistically significant, while total sleep time showed no clear difference and several other estimates remained uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review reported statistically significant differences in sleep quality and several other measures in trials of exercise interventions. Total sleep time showed no clear difference. Some outcomes described as showing effects had confidence intervals that included no difference, so the abstract supports a mixed interpretation and does not show consistent changes across sleep measures.
The abstract does not explain outcome coding, comparison conditions, or intervention duration. It also reports sleep duration and total sleep time separately without clarifying their measurement, limiting interpretation of the direction and practical size of effects.
What was assessed
This abstract-based summary covers trials involving school-age children and teenagers. The review examined several aspects of sleep, including quality, efficiency, anxiety around sleep, and time awake after falling asleep.
Where uncertainty remains
For time to fall asleep, unusual events during sleep, sleep-related breathing problems, and daytime difficulties, confidence intervals included no difference. These estimates remain uncertain despite statistically clearer results for sleep quality and some other measures.
The original publication
Effects of physical activity on sleep in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
Song H, Jiang X, Li Y et al.
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41137907
- Record checked
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