Effects of 8-week hemsball training on resting heart rate, body mass index, sleep time and sleep efficiency in women with mild intellectual development disorder

Abstract

This study was designed to explore the effects of an intensity-controlled exercise program on resting heart rate, body mass index, sleep time, and sleep efficiency. Ten females with mild intellectual developmental disorder participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (n = 5, 25.63 ± 2.45 years, 1.71 ± 0.07 m, 68.25 ± 4.87 kg) and control (n = 5, 26.32 ± 8.94 years, 1.59 ± 0.03 m, 67.79 ± 17.01 kg). The experimental group participated in hemsball training three times a week for eight weeks, maintaining an intensity of 50–60% of their heart rate reserve. Mixed model ANOVAs were used to investigate temporal differences within and between the control and experimental groups. Additionally, Pearson’s correlation analyses were conducted to explore potential associations between exercise heart rate and sleep time, as well as exercise heart rate and sleep efficiency. No significant main or interaction effects were found for all tests (p > 0.05). The correlations between exercise heart rate and sleep time, as well as exercise heart rate and sleep time, were found to be non-significant (p > 0.05). Even though the statistical analyses did not reveal significant differences, the decrease in resting heart rate and body mass index in the experimental group is of considerable importance. This outcome indicates that preventive strategies, such as engaging in a game sport like hemsball, can be beneficial for individuals who are particularly vulnerable to health issues due to inactivity.

Keywords:

• Intellectual development disorder
• exercise
• hemsball
• heart rate
• body mass index
• sleep

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the participants who took part in the study.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

The author reports there are no competing interests to declare.