Objective  To examine the relationship and interaction effects between exercise duration, sleep duration, and depressive symptoms among Chinese adults.

Methods  Data from the 2022 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) were used, restricted cubic spline (RCS) and multiple linear regression models were applied to analyze the relationship between exercise duration, sleep duration, and depressive symptoms.

Results  A total of 18,838 participants were included. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that, each one-standard-deviation increase in weekly exercise duration was associated with a 0.12-point decrease in depressive scores [β=-0.12, 95%CI(-0.19, -0.05)]. Each standard deviation increase in daily sleep duration was associated with a 0.40-point decrease in depression scores [β=-0.40, 95%CI (-0.47, -0.34)]. RCS model analysis showed that, after controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables, weekly exercise duration was significantly and non-linearly negatively correlated with depression scores. Depression scores decreased rapidly with increasing exercise time, leveling off after approximately 150~300 minutes per week, with no rebound in depression observed due to excessive exercise. Daily sleep duration showed a weak U-shaped association with depression scores, with the lowest depression scores observed at approximately 8 hours of sleep. Interaction effect analysis further indicated a significant exercise-sleep interaction effect [β=0.08, 95%CI (0.03, 0.13)]. Under conditions of insufficient sleep, the mental health benefits of exercise were significantly reduced, while sufficient sleep significantly enhanced the antidepressant effects of moderate exercise.

Conclusion  Exercise and sleep exert nonlinear dose-response effects and synergistic interactions on depression. Individuals with sleep deprivation should prioritize sleep improvement before integrating exercise interventions to achieve optimal mental health benefits. Public health strategies should advocate for integrated “sleep-exercise” intervention models.

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