The effects of Tai Chi and resistance exercise intervention on sleep quality in Japanese community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain

Takafumi Saito, Chen Chen, Lefei Wang, Harukaze Yatsugi, Ziming Gong, Sitong Li, Hiro Kishimoto
Purpose:

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combined Tai Chi and resistance exercise program on sleep quality in Japanese community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain.

Methods:

Participants were adults aged over 60 years with chronic pain who did not require nursing care. They were allocated to an intervention group (Tai Chi + resistance exercise) or a control group (resistance exercise only). Both Tai Chi and resistance exercise were conducted once a week for one hour per session over 12 weeks. Tai Chi was supervised by a qualified Yang style Tai Chi practitioner, and resistance exercise was instructed by a fitness instructor using tools and body weight. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with a PSQI score > 5 indicating sleep difficulty.

Results:

A total of 71 participants were allocated, with 38 in the intervention group and 33 in the control group. After 12 weeks, PSQI scores decreased significantly in the intervention group (p0.001), while the control group showed no significant improvement. Sleep difficulty was also significantly reduced in the intervention group (p=0.04), while there was no significant improvement in the control group. After adjusting for sex, age, education years, body mass index, current smoking, alcohol consumption, comorbidities and fall history, there were still significant interactions between time and group (interaction p=0.04).

Conclusion(s):

Tai Chi, combined with resistance exercise, could serve as an effective non-pharmacological approach for addressing sleep difficulty in Japanese community-dwelling older adults with chronic pain.

Implications:

This study underscores the significant benefits of multi-component exercise programs that combine resistance training with mind-body exercises like Tai Chi in managing sleep difficulties in older adults with chronic pain. Such integrative approaches not only enhance sleep quality but also contribute to increased social support and improved overall quality of life by facilitating greater social engagement. Incorporating these comprehensive strategies into physiotherapy practice and public health frameworks could advance the management of sleep issues and promote preventive measures for maintaining health in older populations.

Funding acknowledgements:
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
Keywords:
Tai chi
sleep quality
chronic pain
Primary topic:
Older people
Second topic:
Community based rehabilitation
Third topic:
Pain and pain management
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
Institutional Kyushu University Health Sciences and Counseling Center Joint Ethics Committee, Japan
Provide the ethics approval number:
202306
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

Back to the listing