Poor sleep quality results in reduced lower-limb performance and dominant-hand grip strength in older adults, suggesting that integrating sleep evaluation into geriatric care may support the elderly in maintaining independence, mobility, and well-being.
Key Findings
Results
Elderly participants with poor sleep quality had significantly poorer balance test performance compared to those with good sleep quality.
Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), with good sleep defined as PSQI ≤ 5 and poor sleep as PSQI > 5.
Balance was assessed as a component of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).
The study included 128 elderly individuals aged 60 years and above from the Delhi-NCR region.
The difference in balance test performance between the two groups was statistically significant.
Results
Participants with poor sleep quality demonstrated significantly reduced gait speed compared to participants with good sleep quality.
Gait speed was assessed as a component of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).
The sample consisted of 128 elderly individuals aged 60 and above.
The difference in gait speed between good and poor sleep quality groups was statistically significant.
Gait speed is a key indicator of physical performance and mobility in older adults.
Results
Poor sleep quality was associated with significantly worse chair stand test performance in elderly individuals.
The chair stand test is a component of the SPPB measuring lower-limb strength and functional mobility.
Participants with PSQI > 5 performed significantly worse on the chair stand test than those with PSQI ≤ 5.
The study population was aged 60 years and above from the Delhi-NCR region.
This finding contributes to the conclusion that poor sleep reduces lower-limb performance in older adults.
Results
Grip strength of the dominant hand was significantly reduced in participants with poor sleep quality compared to those with good sleep quality.
Upper limb strength was measured using a Hand-Held Dynamometer.
The significant difference was observed specifically for the dominant hand.
No significant difference was found for grip strength of the non-dominant hand between the two groups.
128 elderly participants aged 60 and above were evaluated.
Results
No significant difference in manual dexterity was found between elderly individuals with good and poor sleep quality for either hand.
Manual dexterity was assessed using the Box and Block test.
Both dominant and non-dominant hands were tested and showed no significant between-group difference.
This contrasts with findings for lower-limb performance and dominant-hand grip strength, which did show significant differences.
The sample included 128 elderly individuals from the Delhi-NCR region.
Results
Non-dominant hand grip strength did not differ significantly between the good and poor sleep quality groups.
Grip strength was measured using a Hand-Held Dynamometer for both dominant and non-dominant hands.
While dominant hand grip strength was significantly lower in the poor sleep group, non-dominant hand grip strength showed no significant difference.
The asymmetric finding between dominant and non-dominant hands was noted as a distinct result.
The study included 128 participants aged 60 years and above.
What This Means
This research suggests that the quality of sleep older adults get is meaningfully connected to how well they can move and use their bodies. In a study of 128 people aged 60 and older in the Delhi-NCR region of India, researchers compared those who slept well (as measured by a standard questionnaire called the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) to those who slept poorly. They found that poor sleepers performed worse on tests of balance, walking speed, and the ability to rise from a chair — all measures of lower-body function that are critical for daily independence and fall prevention. Poor sleepers also had weaker grip strength in their dominant hand.
Interestingly, not everything was affected equally. Manual dexterity (the ability to move small objects with the hands, tested using a Box and Block test) was similar between good and poor sleepers, and grip strength in the non-dominant hand also did not differ significantly between the groups. This suggests that sleep may have a more pronounced effect on certain types of physical function, particularly those involving lower-limb stability and dominant-hand strength, rather than on fine motor skills.
This research suggests that sleep quality may be an overlooked factor in the physical decline seen in older adults. Since poor physical performance in the elderly is linked to falls, loss of independence, and the need for institutional care, these findings point to the potential value of routinely assessing sleep as part of care for older people. Addressing sleep problems in elderly individuals could be one way to help them stay mobile and independent for longer, in line with global goals for healthy aging.
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Roy N, Jahagirdar S, Kumar S, Singh R, Rohilla P, Mattu S, et al.. (2026). Effect of sleep quality on physical performance in the elderly.. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.05.018