A Comparative Study on The Effects of Relaxed Breathing and Deep Breathing Exercises on Sleep Quality and Selected Physiological Parameters Among Middle-Aged Women: A Randomised Controlled Trial
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67440/ahj.vi.2930Keywords:
relaxed breathing, deep breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, sleep quality, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, perceived stress, spirometry, middle-aged women.Abstract
Background: Sleep disturbance and perceived stress are common during midlife in women and are linked to autonomic hyperarousal. Slow, controlled breathing is a low-cost, non-pharmacological approach, but the relative effects of relaxed breathing and deep (diaphragmatic) breathing in this group are not established.
Objective: To compare the effects of relaxed breathing and deep breathing exercises on sleep quality, perceived stress, pulmonary function and cardiovascular parameters in middle-aged women with poor sleep quality and moderate stress.
Methods: In this two-arm, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial with blinded assessment of the objective outcomes, 60 women aged 35–50 years with parity 2, moderate perceived stress (PSS-10) and poor sleep quality (PSQI global score > 5) were randomly allocated (1:1) to relaxed breathing or deep breathing for 6 weeks (5 sessions/week, 20 minutes/session). The primary outcome was the PSQI global score. Secondary outcomes were PSS-10 score, spirometry (FVC, FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC, PEFR), heart rate and blood pressure, assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Within-group changes were analysed using the paired t-test and between-group differences in change scores (post minus pre) using the unpaired t-test.
Results: Of 60 randomised women, 57 completed the trial (29 relaxed breathing, 28 deep breathing) and were analysed. PSQI global score changed from 8.7 ± 1.7 to 5.6 ± 2.2 in the relaxed breathing group and from 9.1 ± 1.7 to 4.6 ± 2.2 in the deep breathing group; the reduction was significantly greater with deep breathing (p < 0.001). PSS-10 also decreased more with deep breathing (p < 0.001). Deep breathing produced greater improvements in FVC, FEV₁ and PEFR (all p < 0.001), and greater reductions in heart rate (p = 0.003), systolic blood pressure (p = 0.002) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.001). FEV₁/FVC did not differ between groups (p = 0.117).
Conclusion: Both exercises improved sleep quality and perceived stress, but deep breathing produced significantly greater improvements in sleep quality, perceived stress, FVC, FEV₁, PEFR, heart rate and blood pressure.
