Study Finds Combining High-Intensity Training and Sleep Program Improves Sleep in Young Women

The 8-week trial showed the combined intervention led to greater improvements in sleep quality and cardiometabolic health compared to either approach alone.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that combining high-intensity circuit training (HICT) with a sleep health (SH) program resulted in greater improvements in sleep outcomes and cardiometabolic health in sedentary young women with poor sleep habits, compared to either intervention alone or a control group. The 8-week, randomized clinical trial in Hong Kong involved over 100 participants who were assigned to receive the combined HICT-SH intervention, HICT alone, SH alone, or no intervention.

Why it matters

This research suggests that a multifaceted approach targeting both exercise and sleep health may be an effective way to address sleep problems and improve overall health in young adults, a population that often struggles with poor sleep quality. The findings could help guide treatment and prevention strategies for sleep disorders.

The details

The study measured changes in subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and objective sleep parameters via actigraphy. The HICT-SH group saw greater improvements in sleep efficiency and reduced activity counts compared to the SH group, as well as greater reductions in wake after sleep onset compared to the HICT and SH groups. All intervention groups had significant improvements in sleep efficiency, latency, duration, and reductions in wake after sleep onset and activity counts versus the control group. The HICT-SH and HICT groups also had greater reductions in waist circumference and improvements in cholesterol, triglycerides, and adiponectin levels.

  • The 8-week study was conducted in 2024 in Hong Kong.

The players

Borui Zhang

The lead author of the study, from The Education University of Hong Kong in China.

Azizi A. Seixas

The lead author of the accompanying editorial, from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida.

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What they’re saying

“These findings may guide treatment and primary prevention of sleep disorders.”

— Borui Zhang (JAMA Network Open)

“Incorporating continuous wearable monitoring and repeated biomarker assessment, and testing adaptive protocols that adjust the dose and timing of sleep and exercise based on individual response represent essential next steps.”

— Azizi A. Seixas (JAMA Network Open)

What’s next

The authors suggest that future research should incorporate continuous wearable monitoring, repeated biomarker assessment, and testing adaptive protocols that adjust the dose and timing of sleep and exercise based on individual response.

The takeaway

This study demonstrates that a combined approach of high-intensity exercise and a targeted sleep health program can be an effective way to improve sleep quality and cardiometabolic health in young adults struggling with poor sleep, pointing to the value of a multifaceted intervention strategy to address this common issue.