The Effect of Qigong on Menopausal Symptoms and Quality of Sleep for Perimenopausal Women: A Preliminary Observational Study

OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to examine the effect of a 12-week 30-minute-a-day Ping Shuai Qigong exercise program on climacteric symptoms and sleep quality in perimenopausal women. DESIGN: This was a prospective observational study. SETTINGS/LOCATION: The subjects (N=70) from two communities were women aged 45 years and above who were experiencing menopausal symptoms. SUBJECTS: Thirty-five (35) women from one community were assigned to a Ping Shuai Qigong intervention group, while 35 women from the other community were assigned to the control group. INTERVENTIONS: This was a 12-week, 30-minute-a-day Ping Shuai Qigong program. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Greene Climacteric Symptom scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were the outcome measures. METHODS: Descriptive analysis and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used. RESULTS: Pretest scores at baseline found no significant group differences in climacteric symptoms or sleep quality. Significant improvements in climacteric symptoms were found at 6 weeks and 12 weeks (t=4.07, p<0.001 and t=11.83, p<0.001) in the intervention group. They were also found to have significant improvements in sleep quality in those times (t=5.93, p<0.001 and t=10.58, p<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Ping Shuai Qigong improved climacteric symptoms and sleep quality in perimenopausal women at 6 weeks and 12 weeks. The longer a person practiced this form of meditative exercise, the greater the improvement in sleeping quality and climacteric symptoms.