P-1359 - The impact of foot reflexology on sleep induction in patients suffering from sleeping disorders

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to test the impact of foot reflexology (FR) on sleep architecture in patients suffering from sleeping disorders. Aims Try to improve sleep quality in patients with sleep disorders using the foot reflexology. Methods A controlled interventional study in which volunteers (n = 10) were their own control. Each subject received one 20 min FR session during their three nights in the sleep laboratory. Randomly, FR was performed during night 2 or night 3. A polygraph was used to measure these changes in sleep architecture throughout the night and a visual analogue scale (VAS) completed the measurements, in the morning, to subjectively determine the sleep quality. Results The sleep architecture measured by polygraphy showed no statistically significant difference in percentage between nights with and without FR. However, a tendency to increase sleep latency and duration of nocturnal awakening was recorded insignificantly. The VAS sleep quality increased highly significantly with FR (p = 0.0059). Conclusion According to the patients′ feelings, FR induced an improved sleep quality, while the polygraph measures showed no change. This suggests that FR stimulates endogenous factors causing a feeling of well-being and comfort in those patients.