UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1339

Overall Research Project Description The objective of the study is to better understand the physiological and psychological effects of 6 weeks of either resistance or endurance training in postmenopausal women. Participants will engage in a six-week exercise program, attending three training sessions per week. Each participant will be assigned to either a resistance or endurance training group. Participants will receive an Oura Ring to track their sleep patterns, including time spent in REM, deep sleep, and light sleep. The Oura Ring will also track participants’ total sleep time, time in bed, efficiency of sleep, and sleep latency. These sleep measures will be taken during a baseline phase, as well as during the 6 weeks of training. During a baseline phase, cortisol and melatonin levels will be measured through saliva samples collected when participants first wake up in the morning and right before getting into bed. At the conclusion of the six-week period, saliva samples will be collected again in the morning and evening to assess changes in melatonin and cortisol levels. These samples will be analyzed using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits in the laboratory. In addition to the sleep data and hormonal data, participants will complete the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) before and after the six-week exercise program to understand any changes in their vasomotor symptoms and possible discrepancies between their perceived sleep quality and the physiological sleep quality determined by the Oura Ring. There is still much to learn about women’s health, particularly during the menopausal years. The findings have the potential to inform effective symptom management strategies, ultimately improving sleep and overall quality of life for many individuals.