Investigation on Relationship Between Physical Activity and Human Sleep-Awake Cycle by Temporal Isolation

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We investigated the relationship between physical activity and sleep-awake cycles in humans. First, we developed a portable data logger to continuously monitor heart rate and body movement and a method to unmask the heart rate circadian rhythm free from components related to physical activity. Both the results of constant routine and temporal isolation experiments revealed that the unmasked heart rate circadian rhythm was in good agreement with the core temperature circadian rhythm. Next, the effects of diurnal low intensity physical activity (3 hr) on core temperature and heart rate circadian rhythms were examined during temporal isolation. It was found that the diurnal physical activity shifted the circadian rhythms behind those of previous days. Finally, we investigated the effects of diurnal exercise on the circadian locomotor activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. It was shown that circadian rest-activity periods of the patients were increased following exercise, indicating that exhaustive exercise interferes with normal entrainment to 24 h zeitgeber(s). This effect may explain, in part, the common patient complaint of symptom worsening following exertion.