Effects of Pilates on postmenopausal women with Sleep Problems

INTERVENTION: This study is characterized as a single‐blind randomized clinical trial (blinded evaluation and statistics). The included volunteers were randomly separated into two parallel groups: an intervention group with Mat Pilates (GP) with 24 women and a control group (GC) without intervention with 23 women. Mat Pilates Group: The protocol lasted 12 weeks (plus 2 weeks of familiarization). The workouts lasted 50 minutes, consisting of: 5 min warm‐up, 40 min class, 5 min cool‐down, with 45 seconds of rest between exercises. A frequency of 3 sessions per week was used for the 12‐week period. Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) was used, with an ideal score of 9 to 11 at the beginning and end (light), and 11 to 15 during the main part of the class (moderate). The exercises were divided into two workouts (A and B) that will be alternated according to the classic Pilates Mat exercises. Control Group: In this group, participants maintained their usual lifestyle habits and were monitored by bi‐weekly phone calls to ensure they maintained their usual physical activity and dietary behaviors. At the end of this process, the volunteers were referred to the Women's Health Extension Project for regular physical activity. CONDITION: C10.886.425.800.800 Post‐Menopause; Sleep Quality; Blood Pressure; Anxiety; Depression; Circadian Rhythm; Sleepiness ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders PRIMARY OUTCOME: Expected outcome 1: To investigate whether Mat Pilates practice is effective in reducing the severity of insomnia, achieving values ??below the cutoff point of 15 on the Insomnia Severity Index, and improving sleep quality and daytime sleepiness with a significant difference compared to the control group. Outcome found 1: A reduction in the Insomnia Severity score of ‐6.5 points was observed in the Pilates group compared to the Control group, which was ‐3.3, with a statistical significance of p = 0.001. Sleep quality decreased by ‐3.6 in the Pilates group and by ‐0.5 in the Control group, with a significance of p = 0.000. Sleepiness decreased by ‐3.1 in the Pilates group and by +1.1 in the Control group with p = 0.004. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Present symptoms of sleep loss (at the beginning, middle, or end of the night) at least three times a week for at least three months, with daytime impact, and a score greater than 15 on the Insomnia Severity Index; Be female and between 45 and 65 years old; Have completed 12 months since your last menstrual period and up to 10 years post‐menopause; Have a body mass inde Xless than 35 kg/m²; Be a non‐smoker SECONDARY OUTCOME: ; Outcome found 4: No significant changes (p<0.05) were found in cognition, memory, executive function, and attention in the Pilates group compared to the Control group. Expected outcome 2: Significant reduction in menopausal symptoms and improvement in mental state (stress, anxiety, and depression) in the Pilates group when compared to the control group. Expected outcome 3: To analyze whether there is a significant improvement in the repercussions on cardiovascular risk predictors after the interventions, through blood pressure, heart rate, body mass inde X(BMI), body mass of muscle and fat, waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), neck, waist, hip and abdominal circumferences. Expected outcome 4: Significant improvement in cognition, memory, executive function, and attention in the Pilates group compared to the Control group. Outcome found 2: There was a significant reduction (p<0.05) in menopausal symptoms, being ‐3.1 in somatic symptoms, ‐3.2 in psychological symptoms and ‐1.7 in urogenital symptoms; and improvement in mental state (reduction of ‐6.2 in the Stress score, ‐4.4 in the anxiety score and ‐6.2 in the depression score) in the Pilates group when compared to the Control group. Outcome found 3: No significant changes (p<0.05) were found in the variables related to cardiovascular risk predictors after the Mat Pilates intervention; these are blood pressure, heart rate, body mass inde X(BMI), body mass of muscle and fat, waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), neck, waist, hip and abdominal circumferences, and physical fitness as measured by the 6‐minute walk test.