Jul 2026· Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud· Vol 8, pp. 1-18· 0 citations· 32 references
Abstract
Introduction. Current evidence highlights the significant cognitive and physiological benefits of regular sports engagement, with well-established positive impact on both sleep quality and executive functions (EF).
Objective. The present study aimed to compare sleep quality parameters between young adults practicing individual and team sports, as well as to examine the direct and indirect structural relationships among sports participation indicators, sleep quality, and executive functioning.
Method. The sample consisted of 132 young adults aged 18 to 40 years (M = 23.89, SD = 4.93). A sociodemographic and sports questionnaire was employed, along with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI). Data analysis included Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Pearson’s r correlation analyses, MANCOVA, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Bootstrapping with 5000 resamples was used to test mediation effects.
Results. The CFA supported the two-factor structure of the ADEXI —working memory and inhibition— with acceptable fit. Sports participation was associated with distinct sleep quality profiles. Specifically, individual sports practitioners reported better sleep quality and shorter sleep latency, team sports practitioners exhibited higher sleep efficiency. Structural equation modeling indicated that sleep quality statistically mediated the relationship between sports participation indicators (current sports practice, weekly hours, and total years of practice) and EF. Additionally, an earlier age of initiation into sports directly predicted fewer EF difficulties, independent of sleep quality, suggesting that early sports participation may contribute to the development of a resilient cognitive reserve.
Conclusion. Regular sports engagement, especially when it begins early in life, is associated with better subjective sleep quality and executive functioning. These findings highlight the potential protective role of sports in promoting cognitive health among and support the incorporation of regular sports participation into public health and health promotion strategies aimed at preserving executive functioning.
Physical activity did not show significant associations with psychological symptoms or sleep quality, and higher depression and stress scores predicted poorer sleep quality.
Purpose This study examined whether physical fitness (PF) mediates the association between physical activity (PA) and executive function (EF) in Chinese adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2023, involving 5,713 students aged 13–18 years recruited through stratified cluster random sampling. PA was assessed using questionnaires, PF through standardized field tests, and EF using computerized cognitive tasks. Partial correlation analyses and mediation models were performed. Results No significant sex differences were observed in inhibitory control or the 1-back task. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) correlated positively with most PF indicators (p < 0.05). PF indicators were generally negatively correlated with EF measures (p < 0.05). The total effect of MVPA on 1-back performance was not significant (p = 0.109). However, in separate simple mediation models, MVPA showed significant specific indirect associations with working memory via core strength (indirect effect = −0.030), cardiorespiratory fitness (indirect effect = −0.021), and agility and coordination (indirect effect = −0.023) (95% CIs did not include 0; p < 0.05). In stratified analyses, indirect effects were significant in females, adolescents with normal weight, and those meeting screen-time guidelines, but not in males, senior high school students, adolescents with obesity, or those exceeding screen-time limits. Conclusion PF (specifically core strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and agility and coordination) exerts an inconsistent (suppression) mediation effect in the relationship between MVPA and working memory in Chinese adolescents.
Wenqing Duan, Huipan Wu, Jian Wu et al.· Frontiers in Public Health· 0 citations
Background and objectives Executive function (EF) serves as a critical regulatory hub for goal-directed behavior, yet its operational integrity is increasingly threatened by the sedentary lifestyles and psychological stressors prevalent in higher education. While the cognitive benefits of exercise are documented, the specific pathways through which it navigates psychological and physiological barriers remain underexplored. This study constructs a chain mediation model to elucidate how physical activity (PA) optimizes EF by sequentially modulating anxiety and sleep quality (SQ) among university students. Methods Data collection was conducted in December 2025, involving a multi-stage cluster convenience sample of 2,033 students across six Chinese provinces. Participants (mean age 19.0 ± 1.1) completed a battery of validated instruments, including the Single-Item Measure for PA, the GAD-2 for anxiety, the Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale, and the Adolescent Executive Function Scale. Structural relationships were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS macro (Model 6) while controlling for demographic covariates such as gender, age, and socioeconomic background. Results Path analysis confirmed that PA positively predicts EF proficiency, with the direct effect accounting for 49.53% of the total variance. Beyond this direct link, the relationship is substantiated by three distinct mediating trajectories: (1) a psychological pathway via anxiety reduction (31.78%), (2) a physiological pathway via enhanced sleep quality (14.02%), (3) a sequential chain pathway wherein PA alleviates anxiety, which subsequently optimizes sleep, leading to superior executive performance (4.67%). All mediating effects reached statistical significance as evidenced by bootstrap confidence intervals. Conclusion These findings transition the understanding of physical intervention from a unilinear correlation to a multi-systemic synergistic response. Exercise functions not only as a cognitive catalyst but also as a vital buffer that prevents the maladaptive depletion of neural resources by stabilizing emotional oscillations and facilitating physiological restoration. The results underscore the necessity for higher education institutions to integrate physical activity, psychological counseling, and sleep hygiene management into a cohesive framework for cognitive health.
Yuhao Li, Xiaotong Wan, Aojie Ru et al.· Frontiers in Psychology· 0 citations
This study explores the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality, focusing on the mediating role of social support and the moderating role of mindfulness. The sample included 1,023 junior middle school students (51.22% females; mean age = 13.59 ± 0.84 years). Participants completed measures of physical exercise, sleep quality, social support, and mindfulness. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bias-corrected bootstrap procedures, and Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS (Models 4 and 59). The results showed that 24.73% of the participants screened positive for sleep problems (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) > 7), and physical exercise was significantly positively associated with sleep quality. Social support played a significant mediating role in the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality. Mindfulness significantly moderated the association between social support and sleep quality and the residual direct association between physical exercise and sleep quality, but did not significantly moderate the association between physical exercise and social support. At higher levels of mindfulness, the positive associations of physical exercise and social support with sleep quality were stronger. These findings revealed the roles of social support and mindfulness in the association between physical exercise and sleep quality and provided a new perspective for sleep-health promotion among junior middle school students. Schools, families, and communities should coordinate efforts to promote physical exercise, strengthen social support, and cultivate mindfulness among junior middle school students.
Wen-Ge Guo, Zi-Long Nie, Yang Wu et al.· The Journal of Genetic Psych...· 0 citations
Among former college athletes, exercise engagement was positively associated with objective cognitive functioning but not subjective cognition, which instead was weakly to moderately related to emotional symptom endorsement, suggesting that ongoing exercise may support healthy cognitive aging even in those with extensive athletic histories.
L. Shurtz, Gavin D Sanders, A. Datoc et al.· Journal of Clinical and Expe...· 0 citations
Background: Resilience is a critical psychological resource for university students to cope with stress and maintain mental health; however, students with physical weaknesses may be at greater risk due to physiological limitations. This study aimed to use multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the associations among physical activity (PA), sleep quality, and resilience. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using stratified cluster sampling among 2040 students from four universities in Beijing. The participants had a mean age of 19.03 ± 0.94 years and included 1144 men (56.1%) and 896 women (43.9%). Participants were categorized into the General Sample (n = 1504, 73.7%), Fitness-Remediation Sample (n = 341, 16.7%), and Rehabilitation Sample (n = 195, 9.6%). PA, sleep quality, and resilience were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), respectively. Multi-group SEM was used to estimate direct and indirect associations and to compare structural paths across groups. Results: In the total sample, PA was positively associated with resilience and negatively associated with poorer sleep quality. Sleep quality showed a significant indirect association between PA and resilience, accounting for 18.2% of the total effect. Multi-group analyses suggested between-group differences in the PA→PSQI path: it was significant only in the General Sample but not in the Fitness-Remediation or Rehabilitation Sample. The direct PA → resilience path remained statistically significant across all three groups. Conclusions: University mental health programs should avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and instead adopt stratified, tailored interventions. For physically weak students, adaptive PA combined with targeted sleep-support strategies may be considered as part of resilience-related health promotion.
