Exercise, Mental Disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders, Traumatic Stress Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to test whether sleep improvements, following 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training exercise among adult women exposed to a traumatic event, are mediated by improvements in heart rate variability or decreased anxiety and hyperarousal symptoms.
Detailed description
A total of 60 women with below-average sleep quality and physical activity levels who also screen positive for PTSD on the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS-5) will be randomized to either six weeks of exercise training or a waitlist control. Twenty minutes of high intensity interval training will be performed three times per week for six-weeks. Heart rate variability will be measured at rest, during, and following a cognitive task. Psychometric measures supported by strong validity evidence will assess self-reported anxiety and PTSD symptoms, and sleep quality.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALHigh Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Twenty minutes of HIIT will be completed three days a week for six weeks.
OTHERWaitlist
Waitlist participants will be tested on the outcomes at the same time points as the treatment group.
Sponsors
University of Georgia
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 39 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* self-reported exposure to a traumatic event * persistent (\> 1 month) PTSD-related symptoms adequate to screen positive for PTSD or self-reported history of a prior PTSD diagnosed by a health care professional. * poor sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index \>5) * failure to meet recommended level of aerobic or resistance training during leisure time. Physical activity for U.S. adults (\<150-mins of moderate or 75-mins of vigorous physical activity \[or a combination\] per week and/or \< 2 days a week of resistance training targeting the major muscle groups). * able to safely perform high-intensity exercise * aged 18-39 years * non-smoker * willing to avoid alcohol and vigorous physical activity 24 hours before visiting the lab * willing to avoid caffeine for 12 hours before visiting the lab
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnant, lactating, or plans to become pregnant over the next 2 months. * Individuals who started taking medication for anxiety or depression-related symptoms within the last month. * Individuals currently taking beta-blockers or other medications/substances (marijuana and other illegal drugs) that impact heart rate. * History of reproductive disorders (e.g., premenstrual dysphoric disorder or polycystic ovary syndrome), cardiovascular (e.g., cardiac arrhythmia), or pulmonary disorders (e.g., asthma). * Pain intensity of 8 or greater in the thigh or foot in the past month * Probable alcohol use disorder
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y2) | Change from Baseline to Week 7 | The STAI-Y2 Trait subscale consists of 20-item and will assess anxiety. The total score ranges from 20-80; higher scores indicate greater trait anxiety. |
| Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | Change from Baseline to week 7 | The PSQI consists of 19 items. Scores range from 0-21, higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality. A global score ≥5 indicates poor sleep quality. |
| Heart Rate Variability | Change from Baseline to Week 7 | High frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) domains of heart rate variability will be assessed before, during, and following a cognitive task. |
| The Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale-5 (PDS-5) | Change from Baseline to Week 7 | The PDS-5 consists 24-item scale and will assess PTSD symptoms based on the diagnostic criteria for the DMS-5. The full PDS-5 assesses trauma history, symptom onset, and index of trauma. The total score ranges from 0-80. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed