Chronotype and implications for its use in physical therapy in patients with stroke

Abstract

In clinical practice, the physical therapist often evaluates and programs the patient's treatment without taking into account the temporal variation of functions and behaviors. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of the chronotype (morning type - evening type), sleep-wake state (sleep quality and excessive sleepiness) and lifestyle regularity in determining the preferred time of day for physical and mental activities following stroke. Participants responded to the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Social Rhythm Metric (SRM). The subjects were asked at what time of day they preferred to perform physical (exercises) and mental (tasks of reasoning) activities, considering only their well-being. A total of 42 patients (61±9 years) in the chronic stage after stroke (18±21 months) and 12 healthy individuals took part in the study. The data were analyzed using the χ² test and multiple regression. Among the patients evaluated, 64% had poor sleep quality, 43% excessive sleepiness and 57% an irregular daily routine. Regression analysis showed that chronotype was the only factor studied that influenced the preferred time of day for the activities. The results indicate the need for the physical therapist to analyze how chronotype can affect patient performance before establishing time of day of the physical therapy sessions.