Abstract
Although a few studies have examined the relationship between physical exercise and sleep quality, the underlying mechanisms of this association remain unclear. This study aims to investigate how and under what conditions physical exercise can promote the sleep quality among Chinese college students, with a focus on how self-control mediates and mindfulness moderates this relationship. Data were collected through convenient sampling from five universities in China, with a total of 1028 college students aged 16 to 29 participating in the study. Participants were recruited to complete the self-report questionnaires measuring their physical exercise, self-control, sleep quality and mindfulness. Results showed that physical exercise significantly and positively predicts sleep quality among Chinese college students. Further moderated mediation analyses indicated that self-control plays a significant mediating role, while mindfulness plays a moderating role in this relationship. Additionally, simple slopes analyses found that the moderating effect of mindfulness is more pronounced among individuals with lower levels of mindfulness compared to those with higher levels. The findings suggest that physical exercise can enhance sleep quality by improving self-control. Furthermore, physical exercise has a beneficial impact on self-control and sleep quality among college students with low mindfulness, while mindfulness itself exerts a distinct positive influence among those with high mindfulness.