Effects of Eight-Week Resistance Training on the Quality of Life and Sleep Quality of Untrained Men with a History of COVID-19

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has caused physical, psychological, and functional complications in society, with particular impacts on positive cases. Reduced quality of life (QOL) and sleep quality are among the many problems experienced by COVID-19 patients. Hence, exercise rehabilitation gains further importance after people are afflicted with COVID-19. This study aimed to analyze the effects of resistance training on the QOL and sleep quality in untrained men with a history of COVID-19. Methods Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, purposive sampling was employed to select 34 individuals who were willing to participate in the study. They were then randomly assigned to a resistance training group and a control group (n=17 per group). In order to evaluate the pretest scores of sleep quality and those of QOL, the participants were asked to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36), respectively. Subsequently, the training group received eight weeks of resistance training held three sessions weekly. The participants re-completed the foregoing questionnaires when all training sessions were over to determine their posttest scores. The resultant data were then analyzed in SPSS 27. Results The research findings indicated significant differences between the resistance training group and the control group regarding the QOL and sleep quality after eight weeks of resistance training (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions Given the findings of the current study, one can conclude that resistance training has positive effects on the QOL and sleep quality in untrained men with a history of COVID-19. Hence, resistance training can probably be recommended to rehabilitate patients with COVID-19. Trial registration number IRCT20230221057480N1, 2023-03-04, retrospectively registered.