The effect of physical activity levels ın young adults on fatigue, sleep and psychological health: A Cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21990707Keywords:
Physical activity, fatigue, sleep quality, mental healthAbstract
Aim: This study investigated the effects of physical activity levels on fatigue, sleep quality, and psychological health in young adults, and compared these parameters among individuals with different activity levels.
Materials and Methods: A total of 142 young adults aged 18–25 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Physical activity levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and participants were grouped according to activity level. Fatigue was evaluated with the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and psychological health with the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Demographic data including
age, sex, and body mass index were also recorded.
Results: There were no significant differences between groups in demographic characteristics (p>0.05). Higher physical activity levels were associated with significant improvements in overall fatigue, sleep latency
and daytime dysfunction (p<0.05). In contrast, psychological health scores assessed with the General Health Questionnaire-12 did not differ significantly between the groups (p=0.37). Likewise, no significant differences were found in the remaining fatigue subdimensions or sleep quality subcomponents (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Higher physical activity levels were associated with lower fatigue and with better outcomes in selected sleep quality components (sleep latency and daytime dysfunction) in young adults, whereas psychological
health did not differ significantly across activity levels. These findings suggest that promoting physical activity may be an effective strategy for reducing fatigue and improving specific aspects of sleep quality in this population.
However, no significant difference was found in psychological health across physical activity levels, and further research using longitudinal designs and
larger, more heterogeneous samples is warranted.
References
1. Nowak PF, Bożek A, Blukacz M. Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and quality of life among university students. Biomed Res Int. 2019;9791281.
2. Granero-Jiménez J, López-Rodríguez MM, Dobarrio-Sanz I, Cortés-Rodríguez AE. Influence of physical exercise on psychological well-being of young adults: a quantitative study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(7):4282.
3. Park JH, Moon JH, Kim HJ, Kong MH, Oh YH. Sedentary lifestyle: overview of updated evidence of potential health risks. Korean J Fam Med. 2020;41(6):365-373.
4. Kemel PN, Porter JE, Coombs N. Improving youth physical, mental and social health through physical activity: a systematic literature review. Health Promot J Austr. 2022;33(3):590-601.
5. Bodziony V, Stetson B. Associations between sleep, physical activity, and emotional well-being in emerging young adults: implications for college wellness program development. J Am Coll Health. 2024;72(4):1057-1067.
6. Finsterer J, Mahjoub SZ. Fatigue in healthy and diseased individuals. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2014;31(5):562-575.
7. Hanif S, Ahmed I, Nawaz R, Shabbir H, Asif K. Association of fatigue level and physical activity among university students: a cross-sectional survey. J Health Rehabil Res. 2024;4(1):1642-1646.
8. Chen M, He Z, Zhang Z, Chen W. Association of physical activity and positive thinking with global sleep quality. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):3624.
9. ul Rehman A, Ali A, Azam M. Impact of varying levels of physical activity on addictive nature of social media and its association with sleep quality: a correlational perspective. Ann Hum Soc Sci. 2024;5(3):638-653.
10. Liu R, Menhas R, Saqib ZA. Does physical activity influence health behavior, mental health, and psychological resilience under the moderating role of quality of life? Front Psychol. 2024; 15:1349880.
11. Mahindru A, Patil P, Agrawal V. Role of physical activity on mental health and well-being: a review. Cureus. 2023;15(1).
12. World Health Organization. Global action plan on physical activity 2018-2030: more active people for a healthier world. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2019.
13. Saglam M, Arikan H, Savci S, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: reliability and validity of the Turkish version. Percept Mot Skills. 2010;111(1):278-284.
14. Craig CL, Marshall AL, Sjöström M, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: 12-country reliability and validity. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;35(8):1381-1395.
15. Piper BF, Lindsey AM, Dodd MJ. Fatigue mechanisms in cancer patients: developing nursing theory. Oncol Nurs Forum. 1987;14(6):17-23.
16. Can G, Durna Z, Aydiner A. Assessment of fatigue in and care needs of Turkish women with breast cancer. Cancer Nurs. 2004;27(2):153-161.
17. Buysse DJ, Reynolds CF III, Monk TH, Berman SR, Kupfer DJ. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index: a new instrument for psychiatric practice and research. Psychiatry Res. 1989;28(2):193-213.
18. Goldberg D, Williams P. General Health Questionnaire. NFER-Nelson; 1991.
19. Barakou I, Sakalidis KE, Abonie US, et al. Effectiveness of physical activity interventions on reducing perceived fatigue among adults with chronic conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):14582.
20. Kim N, Ka S, Park J. Effects of exercise timing and intensity on physiological circadian rhythm and sleep quality: a systematic review. Phys Act Nutr. 2023;27(3):52.
21. Alnawwar MA, Alraddadi MI, Algethmi RA, et al. The effect of physical activity on sleep quality and sleep disorder: a systematic review. Cureus. 2023;15(8).
22. Ghrouz AK, Noohu MM, Manzar D, et al. Physical activity and sleep quality in relation to mental health among college students. Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2019;17(2):183-190.
23. Zhou X, Kong Y, Yu B, Shi S, He H. Effects of exercise on sleep quality in general population: meta-analysis and systematic review. Sleep Med. 2025; 125:1-13.
24. Lubans D, Richards J, Hillman C, et al. Physical activity for cognitive and mental health in youth: a systematic review of mechanisms. Pediatrics. 2016;138(3).
25. White RL, Vella S, Biddle S, et al. Physical activity and mental health: a systematic review and best-evidence synthesis of mediation and moderation studies. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2024;21(1):134.
26. Melkevik O, Torsheim T, Iannotti RJ, Wold B. Is spending time in screen-based sedentary behaviors associated with less physical activity: a cross-national investigation. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2010; 7:46.
27. Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4(1):23-35.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Social and Analytical Health
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
JSOAH is licensed under a 