Key result
Home-based HRV biofeedback improves sleep efficiency by ~4% vs conventional care in cancer patients with insomnia.
Why the study?
Professional palliative care for patients with cancer focuses on symptom management, but the effects of complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback for insomnia disorders needed evaluation.
Does complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback improve sleep efficiency in patients with cancer and insomnia?
RCT (n=28)
Open-label
1:1
Yes
Does complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback improve sleep efficiency in patients with cancer and insomnia?
Complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback significantly improved sleep efficiency and reduced reliance on sleep medications in cancer patients with insomnia.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May reduce sleep medication use in cancer-related insomnia; extends HRV biofeedback evidence to oncology via RCT.
Background Professional palliative care for patients with cancer focuses on symptom management. Methods This exploratory, randomized controlled study was conducted to compare the effects of complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BFB) using an estimation formula for resonance frequency in managing insomnia disorders among patients with cancer. Results Only 28 patients were included from the initial enrollment of 30 patients from two study sites. Results showed that compared to the control group, the HRV-BFB group improved sleep efficiency from 82.0% (standard deviation: 9.1%) to 87.8% (standard deviation: 7.2%) ( p < 0.001) and decreased use of sleeping medication from 88.2% (95% confidence interval, 73.6–95.8) to 51.5% (95% confidence interval, 41.8–61.1) ( p < 0.001). Conclusions This suggests that complete home-based HRV-BFB using an estimation formula for resonance frequency may be a promising tool for treating insomnia disorders in patients with cancer, potentially improving sleep efficiency and decreasing reliance on sleep medications. Clinical trial registration UMIN 000046884. Registered February 11, 2022. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000053496 .
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Hasuo et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Insomnia disorders in patients with cancer (n=28). Home-based heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BFB) vs. Conventional care was evaluated on Change in sleep efficiency (assessed objectively via actigraphy) (p=<0.001). Complete home-based heart rate variability biofeedback significantly improved sleep efficiency and decreased reliance on sleep medications compared to conventional care in cancer patients with insomnia.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: