LifestyleExercise

Physical exercise is associated with better sleep quality among college students, mediated by mobile phone addiction tendency and moderated by psychological resilience.

In a sample of 1,583 college students, physical exercise was significantly negatively associated with sleep quality (β = -0.19, p < 0.001), indicating better sleep quality with more exercise. The relationship was partially mediated by mobile phone addiction tendency (indirect effect = -0.03, 95% CI [-0.04, -0.02]), and psychological resilience moderated the first stage of this mediation, with exercise linked to reduced mobile phone addiction only among students with moderate to high resilience.

Last updated: Aug 17, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. The impact of physical exercise on sleep quality among college students: a moderated mediation model.

observational

Li X, Gao W, Li Z, Zhu J, Wang Y, Li M · Frontiers in psychiatry (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: N/A (cross-sectional)
Intervention: Physical exercise (measured via Physical Activity Rating Scale-3, PARS-3)
Outcome: Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI), mobile phone addiction tendency, psychological resilience
Effect Size: β = -0.19 for direct effect; indirect effect = -0.03; moderation β = -0.31
Population: 1,583 college students from Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China

Result:

PubMed: 42591783DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1884052

Mechanism Graph

Physical exercise is associated with lower mobile phone addiction tendency (in those with high resilience).
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Lower mobile phone addiction tendency is associated with better sleep quality.
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Psychological resilience moderates the relationship between exercise and mobile phone addiction.
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Result: Exercise improves sleep quality directly and indirectly via reduced mobile phone addiction, but only in resilient individuals.

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference.
  • ⚠Self-reported measures may introduce bias.
  • ⚠Sample limited to one university in China, limiting generalizability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does physical exercise improve sleep quality in college students?▼

Yes, the study found a significant negative association between physical exercise and PSQI scores (β = -0.19, p < 0.001), indicating better sleep quality with more exercise.

How does mobile phone addiction affect the exercise-sleep relationship?▼

Mobile phone addiction tendency partially mediates the relationship, meaning exercise is associated with lower mobile phone addiction, which in turn is associated with better sleep quality.

Does psychological resilience influence the effect of exercise on sleep?▼

Yes, resilience moderates the first stage of the mediation. Exercise is associated with reduced mobile phone addiction only in students with moderate to high resilience; in low-resilience students, exercise was positively associated with mobile phone addiction.

What is the recommended amount of exercise for better sleep?▼

The study did not specify a dose; it measured exercise levels using PARS-3. Further research is needed to determine optimal exercise prescriptions.

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References

  1. 1.Li X, Gao W, Li Z, Zhu J, Wang Y, Li M. "The impact of physical exercise on sleep quality among college students: a moderated mediation model.." Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. PMID: 42591783 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1884052
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.