Comparison of the Impacts of Benson Relaxation Technique and Foot Reflexology Massage on Sleep Quality of Patients with Systolic Heart Failure: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Q: Does reflexology help with sleep?

If you have systolic heart failure and sleep problems, foot reflexology massage may help improve your sleep quality based on this well-designed study, though results were similar to other relaxation techniques.

Q: What did this study find?

Both foot reflexology massage and Benson relaxation technique were tested as non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in patients with systolic heart failure. Foot reflexology massage was administered for 30 minutes three days per week for four weeks, while the Benson relaxation technique was performed for 20 minutes on the same frequency. Sleep quality improvements were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and compared among the reflexology, relaxation technique, and control groups before and after the four-week intervention period.

Q: How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 93 participants. It was published in Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, a Q1 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.

Authors: Bakavoly Masoumeh Emami, Sajjadi Moosa, Ghasemi Reza, Ajamzibad HoseinJournal: Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery researchPublished: January 1, 2023DOI: 10.4103/ijnmr.ijnmr_332_21

Q1 JournalSJR: 1h-index: 87SCImago

Strong EvidenceRandomized Controlled Trialn=93 participants

Insomnia

In Plain Language: reflexology for sleep, explained

Cardiovascular diseases can affect sleep quality. The use of non-pharmacological methods to improve the sleep quality of heart failure patients is essential. Therefore, this study compared the effects of the Benson relaxation technique and foot reflexology massage on sleep quality of those patients. In this clinical trial study, 93 patients with systolic heart failure referred to Javad Al-Aeme heart clinic in Torbat Heydarieh were selected with purposive sampling method and divided into the foot reflexology massage, Benson relaxation technique, and control groups using the balanced blocking randomization method. The Benson relaxation technique and the foot reflexology massage were performed for 20 and 30 minutes three days per week for four weeks, respectively. The control group only received routine care. Sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and then compared among the groups before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed using ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc tests, paired t test, and Chi-square at the significant level of p < 0.05. After interventions, the mean (SD) quality of sleep significantly increased in both intervention groups (Reflexology: pre-intervention 10.80 (3.40), post-intervention 6.60 (3.10), Benson relaxation: pre-intervention 15.50 (2.40) post-intervention 12 (2.60), compared to the control group (pre-intervention 10.50 (1.90) post-intervention 9.40(1.70) (p p = 0.53). The interventions improved the quality of sleep in patients with systolic heart failure. Therefore, these methods can be used as a suitable complementary treatment to improve the quality of sleep by nurses and midwives.

Key Findings: what this randomised trial found about sleep

✓Both foot reflexology massage and Benson relaxation technique were tested as non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in patients with systolic heart failure.
✓Foot reflexology massage was administered for 30 minutes three days per week for four weeks, while the Benson relaxation technique was performed for 20 minutes on the same frequency.
✓Sleep quality improvements were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and compared among the reflexology, relaxation technique, and control groups before and after the four-week intervention period.

What This Means for You

If you have systolic heart failure and sleep problems, foot reflexology massage may help improve your sleep quality based on this well-designed study, though results were similar to other relaxation techniques.

What This Means for Practitioners

Foot reflexology massage delivered for 30 minutes, three times weekly, demonstrated significant improvements in sleep quality for systolic heart failure patients, supporting its use as a complementary therapy in cardiac care settings.

Study Design: how this randomised trial was run

Sample Size

93 participants

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Reflexology for sleep: common questions

Does reflexology help with sleep?

What did this study find?

Both foot reflexology massage and Benson relaxation technique were tested as non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in patients with systolic heart failure. Foot reflexology massage was administered for 30 minutes three days per week for four weeks, while the Benson relaxation technique was performed for 20 minutes on the same frequency. Sleep quality improvements were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and compared among the reflexology, relaxation technique, and control groups before and after the four-week intervention period.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a randomised trial and we rate its evidence strong. It covers 93 participants. It was published in Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research, a Q1 journal. Reflexology is a complementary therapy, not a replacement for medical treatment.