Effect of Benson's relaxation technique on the quality of sleep among patients with chronic diseases: A narrative review

Abstract

In countries around the world, Chronic diseases (CDs) are always considered to be a major challenge as a result of their high mortality and morbidity. There is evidence that Benson Relaxation Technique (BRT) can benefit CD patients' health conditions. Nevertheless, there is still a dispute regarding the efficacy of BRT in improving sleep quality. Our literature is aimed at providing a better understanding of how BRT impacts the quality of sleep among patients with CDs. We searched for relevant publications in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, CENTRAL, ProQuest, Science Direct, and Google Scholar from January 1, 2000, to November 24, 2023. In addition, we screened related studies and reference lists of identified studies. We included studies published in Persian and English that assessed the effect of BRT on the quality of sleep among patients with CDs. A review article, an editorial, a letter, a comment, an abstract, and a case report were excluded. Abstracts and full-text articles relevant to the topic were independently reviewed by all three authors. Disagreements were resolved through consensus. 13 studies were included in the final review, out of 407 potential studies identified by the primary search. There were 23 studies included in this review that were published between 2013 and 2023. Studies included in this review indicate that the BRT has a significant statistical difference in sleep quality scores compared to baselines or control groups for patients with CD, whose quality of sleep can be affected by invasive and stressful surgeries. The review advocated routine use of BRT as an alternative therapy in the treatment of CDs to improve sleep quality.