Effects of Trampoline Exercise on Attentional Control and Daytime Sleepiness among Young Adults with Anxiety Disorders in Malaysia

Abstract

Purpose: Anxiety disorder has been linked to deficient attentional control and sleep problems in young adults. This study aimed to investigate the possible effects of trampoline exercise on attentional control and daytime sleepiness among young adults with anxiety disorders. Method: This single-blinded randomised controlled trial involved 40 young adults with anxiety disorders. All the participants were initially screened for eligibility using Beck Anxiety Inventory and Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire, and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n=20) or a control group (n=20). While the experimental group was subjected to trampoline exercise for 4 weeks, all the participants in both the groups were taught deep breathing exercise. Attentional control and daytime sleepiness of the participants were evaluated using Attentional Control Scale and Epworth Sleepiness Scale respectively. Results: The experimental group showed statistically significant improvement in Attentional Control Scale (p=0.009) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (p=0.005) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Trampoline training resulted in reduction in daytime sleepiness and improvement in attentional control after 4 weeks of trial. This highlights the potential of trampoline exercise training as an adjunct to established clinical treatment.