The effect of Pilates exercises on sleep quality and fatigue among female students dormitory residents.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the effect of Pilates exercises on sleep and fatigue among female college students residing in the dormitory. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study, two parallel groups was performed on 80 single female college students (40 per group), between 18 to 26 years old who lived in the two dormitories. One dormitory was considered as the intervention group and another as the control group. The Pilates group received three one-hour Pilates exercise sessions per week for eight weeks and the control group maintained their routine activities. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20) were used respectively to assess sleep quality and fatigue levels, at three time points: baseline, end of week four, and eight follow-ups. Fisher's exact, Chi-square, independent sample t-test and repeated measurements were used. RESULTS: Overall, 66 participants completed the study (32 and 35 participants in the Pilates and control groups, respectively). After four and eight weeks of intervention, the overall mean score of sleep quality improved significantly (p < 0.001). At week four of the intervention, the Pilates group had a significantly lower mean score for subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction than the control group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.002, respectively), although sleep duration and habitual sleep efficiency improved after eight weeks of intervention (p < 0.04 and p < 0.034, respectively). Additionally, the overall mean score of fatigue and its dimensions in weeks four and eight of the intervention in the Pilates group were significantly lower compared to the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: After eight weeks of Pilates exercises implementation, most components of sleep quality significantly improved; however, the effect of Pilates exercises on fatigue was evident from week four onward. Trial registration This trial was registered on 2/6/2015 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with the IRCT ID: IRCT201412282324N15. URL of registry: https://www.irct.ir/trial/1970 .

Carriage Rate and Characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis among Dormitory Students.

In Japan, several meningococcal disease outbreaks have recently been reported among adolescent dormitory residents of schools. However, little is known about meningococcal carriage dynamics in healthy individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the carriage rate over time and characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis strains among dormitory students. The survey was conducted twice between November 2018 and January 2019 for first- to third-year students (N = 376) in a medical school dormitory. The two surveys yielded carriage rates of 0.4% (one positive among 257 students) and 2.1% (two positives among 97 students, including 90 re-participants). No transmission or persistence of a specific strain was observed during the two months. A limited number of students had a history of potential risk behaviors for carriage, such as smoking (3.0% [6/202] aged ≥20 years and 5.2% [4/77] aged ≥20 years, respectively) and attending parties more than once a week (4.3% [11/257] and 2.1% [2/97], respectively). Two isolates were unencapsulated, consistent with asymptomatic participants.

The effect of regular aerobic exercise on sleep quality and fatigue among female student dormitory residents.

BACKGROUND: Emerging research shows a high prevalence of fatigue and sleep problems among university students. The present study evaluates the effects of regular aerobic exercise on sleep quality and fatigue level among female students (ages 18-26) who reside in dormitories. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study involving 67 participants consisted of one experimental group (i.e., assigned aerobic exercise) and one control group (i.e., not assigned aerobic exercise). Participants in the experimental group received three one-hour sessions aerobic exercise weekly ranging from mild to moderate intensity for eight-week. Sleep quality and fatigue level were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and standard Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), respectively. These variables were assessed at baseline, week four, and week eight of the study. RESULTS: After four and 8 weeks of the intervention, participants in the aerobic group showed improvement in the score of sleep quality (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and its components (except for sleep duration after 4 weeks intervention). Also, aerobic exercise resulted in a significant reduction of the total score of fatigue and its dimensions in weeks four and eight, compared to the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Four-week aerobic exercise with mild intensity had no significant effect on sleep duration. Conversely, intensified aerobic exercise for 8 weeks influenced all components of sleep quality. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on 6/2/2015 in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with number IRCT201412282324N15.