The Impact of Benson's Relaxation Technique on the Quality of Sleep in the Elderly

Objective: This study examined the effect of Benson's relaxation technique in the quality of sleep of the elderly. Method: The study employed a randomized clinical trial design. A total of 75 elderly suffering from sleep disorder were randomly assigned to either the intervention (n = 38) or control (n = 37) group. The intervention group received Benson's relaxation technique twice a day for 20 minutes through 4 weeks. Petersburg Sleep Quality Index was used to collect the data. Independent and paired t tests were employed to analyze the data. Findings: The results of the paired t tests showed significant improvements in intervention group on quality of sleep and its 5 subscales including subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, and sleep efficiency, and the daytime dysfunction improved significantly ( P < .000). In addition, independent t tests showed significant differences between the intervention and control groups in the quality of sleep and its 4 subscales including the subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, and habitual sleep efficiency after implementation of intervention ( P < .000). Conclusion: The results of the present study may support the efficacy of this simple, available, and cost-effective technique on the quality of sleep of elderly people.