Grant: Project Grant

Sleep is important to our health and wellbeing. Poor sleep quality is linked to many chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, cognitive impairment, and dementia. After a person suffers a stroke, they often experience difficulties in getting a good night's sleep. Approximately half of stroke survivors have insomnia, or have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. Poor sleep quality among stroke survivors increases the risk of recurrent stroke by 3-fold and the risk of early death by 76%. Hence, stroke survivors need strategies to promote better sleep. Fortunately, evidence shows that sleep quality can be improved with exercise, even among those who struggle with insomnia. Whether exercise training can improve sleep quality in adults with chronic stroke (i.e., at least 12 months has passed since their stroke) and poor sleep quality is not known. In addition, it is unknown if improved sleep is associated with improved outcomes in those with chronic stroke. This study will specifically evaluate the effect of twice-weekly targeted exercise training on sleep quality over a 6-month period in persons with chronic stroke and poor sleep quality. This study will also evaluate the effect of exercise on the following outcomes: 1) sleep structure; 2) fatigue; 3) daytime sleepiness; 4) mood; 5) physical function and capacity; 6) thinking abilities; 7) heart health; and 8) quality of life. Finally, this study will examine how changes in sleep quality may be related to changes in these outcomes. Our proposed research is timely as the importance of sleep to recovery, health, and wellbeing post-stroke is increasingly recognized.