Effectiveness Of Deep Breathing Exercise and Soak Therapy on Sleep Quality Among Older Adults Residing in Old Age Homes: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep disturbances are among the most common health problems affecting elderly individuals and significantly influence their physical, psychological, and social well-being. Poor sleep quality is associated with impaired cognitive functioning, depression, anxiety, increased risk of falls, and reduced quality of life. Deep breathing exercise and warm foot soak therapy are simple non-pharmacological interventions that may improve sleep quality among older adults.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of deep breathing exercise and warm foot soak therapy on sleep quality among elderly residents of selected old age homes in Sangli district.

Materials and Methods: A quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test post-test control group design was adopted. Sixty elderly residents were selected using purposive sampling and assigned to experimental (n=30) and control (n=30) groups. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The experimental group received deep breathing exercise and warm foot soak therapy daily for four weeks, whereas the control group received routine care. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results: The mean PSQI score of the experimental group decreased from 9.13 ± 3.47 during pre-test to 6.97 ± 2.14 during post-test. The improvement was statistically significant (t = 5.93, p < 0.001). Comparison of post-test scores between the experimental and control groups revealed a statistically significant difference (t = 2.08, p = 0.042).

Conclusion: Deep breathing exercise and warm foot soak therapy were effective in improving sleep quality among elderly residents of selected old age homes. The intervention is simple, safe, economical, and can be incorporated into routine geriatric nursing care.