Acupressure in insomnia and other sleep disorders in elderly institutionalized patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Authors: Mara Simoncini, Antonia Gatti, Piero Ettore Quirico, Silvia Balla, Barbara Capellero, Rossella Obialero et al.Journal: Aging clinical and experimental researchPublished: March 31, 2016DOI: 10.1007/s40520-014-0244-9

Q2 JournalSJR: 1.453h-index: 119SCImago

Moderate EvidenceObservational

Insomnia

In Plain Language: sleep, explained

Researchers studied whether acupressure (pressing specific points on the body) could help elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease who had trouble sleeping. The study looked at how this technique affected sleep quality and other sleep problems in people living in care facilities.

Key Findings: what this observational study found about sleep

✓Acupressure was studied as an intervention to improve sleep quality in elderly Alzheimer's disease patients residing in institutional care facilities.
✓The research evaluated the effectiveness of acupressure in treating multiple sleep disorders beyond just insomnia in this geriatric population.
✓The study focused on institutionalized patients, suggesting the intervention was tested in a controlled care environment rather than home settings.

What This Means for You

While this study suggests acupressure may help with sleep in Alzheimer's patients, the evidence is still developing and you should discuss this approach with your healthcare provider before trying it.

What This Means for Practitioners

This research provides preliminary support for offering acupressure to elderly institutionalized clients with Alzheimer's and sleep disturbances, though larger controlled trials would strengthen confidence in the approach.

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Sleep: common questions

What does this study say about sleep?

What did this study find?

Acupressure was studied as an intervention to improve sleep quality in elderly Alzheimer's disease patients residing in institutional care facilities. The research evaluated the effectiveness of acupressure in treating multiple sleep disorders beyond just insomnia in this geriatric population. The study focused on institutionalized patients, suggesting the intervention was tested in a controlled care environment rather than home settings.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a observational study and we rate its evidence moderate. It was published in Aging clinical and experimental research, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.