The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction
ObjectiveThe present study was designed to explore the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which this relationship is mediated by a sequential process involving health literacy and life satisfaction.MethodsData on physical exercise, s...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1604916/full |
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| author | Mo-Han He Tian-Yu Zhao Wei-Dong Zhu Hu Lou Ding-You Zhang Fan-Zheng Mu Xin-Yu Zhang Yu-Han Li Wen-Hao Zhang Qi Liu Jia-Qiang Wang Chen-Xi Li Hao-Yu Li Ning Zhou Yao Zhang Hao-Jie Zuo Wei Wang Xiao-Yu Wang Bo-Chun Lu Lin-Lin Zhao Shan-Shan Han Ya-Xing Li Yang-Sheng Zhang Ling-Li Xu Yu-Yan Qian Chuan-Yi Xu Han Li Shuo Feng Qing Zhang Jian-Gang Sun Lan-Lan Yang Bo Li Fei Gu |
| author_facet | Mo-Han He Tian-Yu Zhao Wei-Dong Zhu Hu Lou Ding-You Zhang Fan-Zheng Mu Xin-Yu Zhang Yu-Han Li Wen-Hao Zhang Qi Liu Jia-Qiang Wang Chen-Xi Li Hao-Yu Li Ning Zhou Yao Zhang Hao-Jie Zuo Wei Wang Xiao-Yu Wang Bo-Chun Lu Lin-Lin Zhao Shan-Shan Han Ya-Xing Li Yang-Sheng Zhang Ling-Li Xu Yu-Yan Qian Chuan-Yi Xu Han Li Shuo Feng Qing Zhang Jian-Gang Sun Lan-Lan Yang Bo Li Fei Gu |
| author_sort | Mo-Han He |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveThe present study was designed to explore the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which this relationship is mediated by a sequential process involving health literacy and life satisfaction.MethodsData on physical exercise, sleep quality, health literacy, and life satisfaction were collected from a sample of 12,646 college students (study participants) using a questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS software, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis.ResultsCorrelation analyses revealed a weak positive correlation between physical exercise and sleep quality (r = 0.290), a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and health literacy (r = 0.203, p < 0.01), and a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and life satisfaction (r = 0.374, p < 0.01). Conversely, sleep quality exhibited a significant negative correlation with health literacy (r = −0.091, p < 0.01) and a significant negative correlation with life satisfaction (r = −0.228, p < 0.01). Health literacy and life satisfaction were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.352, p < 0.01). Regression analysis indicated that physical exercise did not directly and significantly predict sleep quality (β = −0.010). This study exhibits a complete mediation effect. However, mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of physical exercise on sleep quality through health literacy (95% CI: [−0.022, −0.013]) and life satisfaction (95% CI: [−0.024, −0.015]). Furthermore, a significant chain-mediating effect was observed, wherein physical exercise influenced sleep quality sequentially through health literacy and life satisfaction (95% CI: [−0.018, −0.013]). The non-significant direct effect of physical exercise on sleep quality and the significant indirect impact suggest that the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality is primarily mediated through health literacy and life satisfaction. These findings highlight the crucial role of health literacy and life satisfaction as mediators in this relationship.ConclusionWhile physical exercise did not exert a direct and significant effect on sleep quality in this study, the significant mediating roles of health literacy and life satisfaction suggest potential avenues for intervention. Specifically, these findings imply that multifaceted approaches, encompassing strategies to promote physical activity, enhance health literacy, and improve life satisfaction, may improve sleep quality among college students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-da373626b75c4190a27d2c6076fd0abe |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-da373626b75c4190a27d2c6076fd0abe2025-08-20T03:16:00ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-07-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.16049161604916The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfactionMo-Han He0Tian-Yu Zhao1Wei-Dong Zhu2Hu Lou3Ding-You Zhang4Fan-Zheng Mu5Xin-Yu Zhang6Yu-Han Li7Wen-Hao Zhang8Qi Liu9Jia-Qiang Wang10Chen-Xi Li11Hao-Yu Li12Ning Zhou13Yao Zhang14Hao-Jie Zuo15Wei Wang16Xiao-Yu Wang17Bo-Chun Lu18Lin-Lin Zhao19Shan-Shan Han20Ya-Xing Li21Yang-Sheng Zhang22Ling-Li Xu23Yu-Yan Qian24Chuan-Yi Xu25Han Li26Shuo Feng27Qing Zhang28Jian-Gang Sun29Lan-Lan Yang30Bo Li31Fei Gu32Institute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaFaculty of Nursing, Shangqiu Medical College, Shangqiu, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaSchool of Physical Education and Sports Science, Nantong University, Shanghai, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaPhysical Education University, Shang Qiu University, Shangqiu, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaJournal Publishing Center, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaGuangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning, ChinaOrdos Institute of Technology, Ordos, China0School of Physical Education, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, China1Yangling Vocational and Technical College, Yangling, China2College of Physical Education, West Anhui University, Lu'an, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaObjectiveThe present study was designed to explore the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which this relationship is mediated by a sequential process involving health literacy and life satisfaction.MethodsData on physical exercise, sleep quality, health literacy, and life satisfaction were collected from a sample of 12,646 college students (study participants) using a questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and AMOS software, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression analysis.ResultsCorrelation analyses revealed a weak positive correlation between physical exercise and sleep quality (r = 0.290), a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and health literacy (r = 0.203, p < 0.01), and a significant positive correlation between physical exercise and life satisfaction (r = 0.374, p < 0.01). Conversely, sleep quality exhibited a significant negative correlation with health literacy (r = −0.091, p < 0.01) and a significant negative correlation with life satisfaction (r = −0.228, p < 0.01). Health literacy and life satisfaction were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.352, p < 0.01). Regression analysis indicated that physical exercise did not directly and significantly predict sleep quality (β = −0.010). This study exhibits a complete mediation effect. However, mediation analysis revealed a significant indirect effect of physical exercise on sleep quality through health literacy (95% CI: [−0.022, −0.013]) and life satisfaction (95% CI: [−0.024, −0.015]). Furthermore, a significant chain-mediating effect was observed, wherein physical exercise influenced sleep quality sequentially through health literacy and life satisfaction (95% CI: [−0.018, −0.013]). The non-significant direct effect of physical exercise on sleep quality and the significant indirect impact suggest that the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality is primarily mediated through health literacy and life satisfaction. These findings highlight the crucial role of health literacy and life satisfaction as mediators in this relationship.ConclusionWhile physical exercise did not exert a direct and significant effect on sleep quality in this study, the significant mediating roles of health literacy and life satisfaction suggest potential avenues for intervention. Specifically, these findings imply that multifaceted approaches, encompassing strategies to promote physical activity, enhance health literacy, and improve life satisfaction, may improve sleep quality among college students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1604916/fullphysical exercisequality of sleephealth literacylife satisfactionthe chain mediating effect |
| spellingShingle | Mo-Han He Tian-Yu Zhao Wei-Dong Zhu Hu Lou Ding-You Zhang Fan-Zheng Mu Xin-Yu Zhang Yu-Han Li Wen-Hao Zhang Qi Liu Jia-Qiang Wang Chen-Xi Li Hao-Yu Li Ning Zhou Yao Zhang Hao-Jie Zuo Wei Wang Xiao-Yu Wang Bo-Chun Lu Lin-Lin Zhao Shan-Shan Han Ya-Xing Li Yang-Sheng Zhang Ling-Li Xu Yu-Yan Qian Chuan-Yi Xu Han Li Shuo Feng Qing Zhang Jian-Gang Sun Lan-Lan Yang Bo Li Fei Gu The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction Frontiers in Psychology physical exercise quality of sleep health literacy life satisfaction the chain mediating effect |
| title | The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| title_full | The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| title_fullStr | The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| title_short | The effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students: chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| title_sort | effect of physical exercise on sleep quality in university students chain mediation of health literacy and life satisfaction |
| topic | physical exercise quality of sleep health literacy life satisfaction the chain mediating effect |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1604916/full |
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