Comparative effects of aerobic, resistance, and combined exercises on depression and sleep quality in women with controlled hypothyroidism. A randomized controlled trial

Introduction
Exercise has recently gained interest in managing hypothyroidism associated impairments. So, the objective of this research was to assess and contrast the effects of aerobic, resistance and a combination of both exercise regimens on depressive symptoms and sleep quality in women with managed hypothyroidism.

Material and methods
A total of sixty women, ranging in age from 35 to 45, with controlled hypothyroidism associated with depression, and sleep problems were randomly assigned to four equally sized groups: aerobic exercise (AE), resistance exercise (RE), combined AE/RE, and a control group. They engaged in low to moderate intensity workouts, three times each week, during a span of 12 weeks, while also undergoing levothyroxine therapy. Outcome measures included depression assessed through Beck depression inventory II (BDI-II) and the sleep quality evaluated using Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI).

Results
The BDI-II and PSQI showed significant improvements in all exercise groups in comparison to the first measurements and the non-exercising group (p < 0.05). Significantly, The AE/RE group demonstrated greater improvements in both outcomes as compared with the AE and RE groupings (p<0.05).

Conclusions
In well-managed hypothyroid women, AE, RE, and combined AE/RE can improve depression and sleep quality. However, the combined AE/RE can induce the greatest improvements in both measures.