Comparing the Efficacy of Acupressure and Foot Reflexology on Sleep Quality in Patients With Leukemia: A Comparative Clinical Trial

Q: Does reflexology help with sleep?

If you're a leukemia patient struggling with sleep, this moderate-quality study suggests foot reflexology may help improve your sleep quality when combined with standard care.

Q: What did this study find?

Both acupressure at the SP6 point and foot reflexology improved sleep quality in leukemia patients when applied for 10 minutes daily over 4 weeks. Acupressure and foot reflexology were more effective at improving sleep quality than the control group in leukemia patients. A 4-week intervention period of either acupressure or reflexology demonstrated measurable improvements in sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Q: How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 102 participants. It was published in Integrative cancer therapies, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.

Authors: Parizad Naser, Hassanpour Amireh, Goli Rasoul, Khalkhali Hamidreza, Nozad AysanJournal: Integrative cancer therapiesPublished: January 1, 2024DOI: 10.1177/15347354241261356

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.7h-index: 65

Strong EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trialn=102 participants

Insomnia

In Plain Language: reflexology for sleep, explained

Among leukemia patients, sleep disruptions are prevalent and can profoundly affect their overall quality of life. Acupressure and foot reflexology, modalities rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, have garnered attention for their potential to address sleep disturbances and mitigate associated symptoms. This research utilized a randomized controlled trial with a pretest-posttest design involving 102 leukemia patients admitted to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Urmia. Participants were randomly allocated to 3 groups: acupressure (n = 34), reflexology (n = 34), or control (n = 34). Prior to the intervention, patients completed a demographic survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for baseline assessments. Acupressure involved stimulation of the SP6 point twice daily for 10 minutes over 4 weeks, while reflexology entailed daily 10-minute sessions with sweet almond oil on the soles for the same duration. The control group received standard care without additional interventions. Following the 4-week intervention period, post-intervention evaluations were conducted using identical measurement tools. The findings underscored the efficacy of both acupressure and foot reflexology in significantly improving sleep quality within the intervention groups (P P > .05). Subsequently, pairwise comparisons adjusted with Bonferroni corrections revealed significant disparities in sleep quality between the acupressure and reflexology groups compared to the control group (P P < .05). This study demonstrates that acupressure and foot reflexology interventions can enhance sleep quality in individuals with leukemia. These findings support the effectiveness of these complementary modalities, offering targeted relief and relaxation. While these non-invasive therapies show promise in improving well-being, further research is needed to confirm and expand upon these results due to study

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about sleep

✓Both acupressure at the SP6 point and foot reflexology improved sleep quality in leukemia patients when applied for 10 minutes daily over 4 weeks.
✓Acupressure and foot reflexology were more effective at improving sleep quality than the control group in leukemia patients.
✓A 4-week intervention period of either acupressure or reflexology demonstrated measurable improvements in sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

What This Means for You

If you're a leukemia patient struggling with sleep, this moderate-quality study suggests foot reflexology may help improve your sleep quality when combined with standard care.

What This Means for Practitioners

This RCT provides evidence that foot reflexology delivered as 10-minute daily sessions can significantly improve sleep quality in leukemia patients, supporting its use as a complementary therapy in oncology settings.

Study Design: how this randomised trial was run

Sample Size

102 participants

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Reflexology for sleep: common questions

Does reflexology help with sleep?

If you're a leukemia patient struggling with sleep, this moderate-quality study suggests foot reflexology may help improve your sleep quality when combined with standard care.

What did this study find?

Both acupressure at the SP6 point and foot reflexology improved sleep quality in leukemia patients when applied for 10 minutes daily over 4 weeks. Acupressure and foot reflexology were more effective at improving sleep quality than the control group in leukemia patients. A 4-week intervention period of either acupressure or reflexology demonstrated measurable improvements in sleep quality as measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 102 participants. It was published in Integrative cancer therapies, a Q2 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.