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Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage on Sleep Quality using Aromatic Oils-A Randomized Controlled Trial
Deepa Yoganathan1, Kalaivani Srinivasan2, Karunydevi Rajendran2
1Department of Manipulative Therapy, Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, India.
Objective:
To examine the impact of reflexology foot massage using aromatic oils on sleep quality in individuals with poor sleep quality.
Design:
Single-blind randomized controlled trial.
Setting:
Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College and Hospital.
Participants:
Forty adults (20 intervention, 20 control) aged 30-60 years with poor sleep quality were recruited. Inclusion criteria included Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores >5 indicating poor sleep quality.
Interventions:
The intervention group received daily 20-min foot reflexology massage using aromatic oils for 21 consecutive days. The control group participants remained seated in a quiet room for 20 min daily, focusing on natural breathing, for 21 consecutive days.
Main Outcome Measures:
Sleep quality was assessed using the PSQI at baseline and post-intervention (day 22).
Results:
Forty participants completed the study (95% female, n = 38) with a mean age of 50.30 ± 8.15 years. The intervention group showed significant improvement in PSQI scores from baseline mean 14.25 ± 2.8 to 10.30 ± 1.4 post-intervention (p < 0.001), while the control group demonstrated minimal change from baseline mean 14.10 ± 2.8 to 14.15 ± 2.6 post-intervention (p = 0.34).
Conclusions:
Reflexology foot massage using aromatic oils significantly improved sleep quality in individuals with poor sleep quality. This intervention shows potential as a safe, cost-effective complementary therapy for sleep quality enhancement.
