NCT07277725

Acupressure and Sleep Quality in Elderly Care

The Effect of Acupressure on Sleep Quality Among Elderly People in Institutional Care

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 75 (actual)
• Sponsor: Duzce University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study was carried out in a prospective randomized controlled experimental design in order to evaluate the effect of acupressure on sleep quality and day sleepiness in individuals living in an elderly care center. The study sample consisted of 75 elderly individuals, 38 in experimental and 37 in control groups, who met the inclusion criteria, living in three different care institutions in Düzce. The data were collected using the Elderly Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Twelve sessions of acupressure were applied to the individuals in the experimental group every other day three times a week for four weeks. Acupressure was applied to Shenmen (HT7), Neiguan (P6), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupressure points. The PSQI and ESS were applied on the elderly in the experimental group before and after the application, and on the elderly in the control group before the application and at the end of the 12-session acupressure application in the experimental group. The PSQI and ESS were applied in both groups again one month after the last application. It was found that subjective sleep quality and sleep duration increased, sleep latency decreased, habitual sleep efficiency was regulated, and sleep disorders and daytime dysfunction declined through the application of acupressure in the elderly receiving institutional care. It was determined that the total PSQI score decreased and the quality of sleep increased in the experimental group following the application. Moreover, the ESS score and day sleepiness decreased in the experimental group following the application. Consequently, it was concluded that acupressure could be a supplementary and supportive method to be used for sleep disorders in the elderly.

Conditions

• Sleep Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Acupressure Therapy	The intervention consisted of acupressure therapy applied to Shenmen (HT7), Neiguan (P6), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) points. Sessions were administered three times per week, every other day, for four consecutive weeks, totaling 12 sessions. Each session lasted approximately 20 minutes and was performed by a trained researcher. Participants were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) before and after the intervention

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-04-01
• Primary completion: 2018-06-30
• Completion: 2018-06-30
• First posted: 2025-12-11
• Last updated: 2025-12-19

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)