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We’ve all been there: It’s late at night, but you can’t seem to fall asleep. After you finally catch some winks, you wake up at 4 a.m., raring to go.  

If you’re over 65 and have trouble sleeping, Johns Hopkins may be able to help. Hoping that exercise can improve sleep and cognitive health, researchers have created an exercise plan that can be done entirely from home. It’s tailored to the individual, so it’s not difficult to follow. 

“We are trying to promote physical activity in low-income older adults,” said Dr. Junxin Li, principal investigator of the study. “The outcome we are looking for is better sleep and cognitive performance.” 

“Overall, participants seem to really enjoy it.” 

How the study works 

The study is open to low-income adults 65 or older who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. No official diagnosis is necessary.  

First, all volunteers will go downtown for a short, in-person visit. “We provide a ride if needed,” Li said. 

There, Li’s team will assess physical function and cognitive health (there’s also a voluntary blood draw). They’ll repeat those brief tests in six months and then a year later.  

Once enrolled, participants will be randomly placed in one of two groups. One will exercise three times a week for about six months. 

Participants in that group will take home a tablet and a FitBit wristband. If they don’t know how to use them or how to use Zoom, Li’s team will teach them how to use the technology in one or two sessions. 

Then Li’s team will make biweekly house calls. “We’ll also go to the participants’ home to conduct a personal training program,” Li explained. “It’s tailored to them.” 

At home, they will follow exercise videos on their tablet to work out at home The personalized exercises focus on strengthening, balance and stretching.  

All the while, Hopkins will keep in touch. “We have biweekly phone calls where we’ll be able to adjust” the exercise plan, Li said, to “give them more or less, based on how they were doing.”  

Home visits to socialize 

The other group will focus on social activities instead. A research team member will visit these participants’ home up to six times to talk about physical activity, play games, listen to music or just talk. 

“They also have a choice of options for the five sessions: artmaking, playing board games, etc.,” Li said.  

So far, the early participants of this study “really enjoy it,” Li said.  

For more information about the mPATH study, or to see if you qualify, email mpath@jhu.edu or call (443) 692-7169.