IntroductionSeventy percent of patients with panic disorder (PD) have sleep impairment. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) effectively treats PD, but the concomitant effect on sleep is understudied. Physical exercise (PE) improves sleep, but this has not been investigated in patients with PD.
ResultsThe effect of time was significant, F(1.33) = 10.11, P = 0.003, but not the interaction (Time × group), F(1.33) = .48, P = 0.49. Symptoms were significantly reduced from pre- to post-treatment: PE, t(16) = 3.03, P = .008, and CBT, t(17) = 2.18, P = 0.044. CBT-patients changed significantly (P < 0.05) on Sleep quality, t(17) = 2.47 and Sleep disturbance, t(17) = 2.38. PE-patients changed significantly on sleep duration, t(16) = 2.58 and sleep disturbance, t(16) = 2.58. A significant interaction with change in fear of bodily symptoms, F(1.16) = 5.53, P = .032, and with change in depression-level, F(1.16) = 12.13, P = 0.003 was only found for CBT. A significant interaction with change in physical fitness, F(1.15) = 5.01, P = .041, was only found for PE.