Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study
Background: Grounding refers to having direct contact with the Earth, such as by walking barefoot or lying on the ground. Research has found that grounding can improve inflammation, free radical damage, blood pressure, sleep quality, pain, stress, mood, and wound healing. However, there has been no...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/3/581 |
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| author | Chien-Hung Lin Shih-Ting Tseng Yao-Chung Chuang Chun-En Kuo Nai-Ching Chen |
| author_facet | Chien-Hung Lin Shih-Ting Tseng Yao-Chung Chuang Chun-En Kuo Nai-Ching Chen |
| author_sort | Chien-Hung Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Grounding refers to having direct contact with the Earth, such as by walking barefoot or lying on the ground. Research has found that grounding can improve inflammation, free radical damage, blood pressure, sleep quality, pain, stress, mood, and wound healing. However, there has been no research on the effect of utilizing grounding for patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, in this study, we investigated the effectiveness of grounding as a non-pharmacological therapy for treating sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression in patients with mild AD. Methods: Patients with mild AD were enrolled in the study. The electrochemical analyzer CHI 1205b was employed to check the electrochemical signals at acupoints KI1 and GV16. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) to evaluate sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, respectively, at weeks 0 and 12. Results: This 12-week placebo-controlled study enrolled 22 patients, but only 15 patients completed the 12-week intervention and survey. Grounding significantly improved PSQI scores compared to the sham-grounding group (mean ± SD: 0.3 ± 0.7 vs. 3.0 ± 1.9, <i>p</i> = 0.006). The scores on the BAI and BDI-II did not change significantly after grounding in comparison to the sham-grounding group. Conclusions: Grounding can improve sleep quality, but it does not significantly improve anxiety and depression among patients with mild AD. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:45:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0b66bcb83fe74eccb6b16d83b3270aa7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:45:59Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-0b66bcb83fe74eccb6b16d83b3270aa72023-11-24T01:23:51ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322022-03-0110358110.3390/healthcare10030581Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot StudyChien-Hung Lin0Shih-Ting Tseng1Yao-Chung Chuang2Chun-En Kuo3Nai-Ching Chen4Department of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanDepartment of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanDepartment of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanDepartment of Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanDepartment of Neurology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kaohsiung 833, TaiwanBackground: Grounding refers to having direct contact with the Earth, such as by walking barefoot or lying on the ground. Research has found that grounding can improve inflammation, free radical damage, blood pressure, sleep quality, pain, stress, mood, and wound healing. However, there has been no research on the effect of utilizing grounding for patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Thus, in this study, we investigated the effectiveness of grounding as a non-pharmacological therapy for treating sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression in patients with mild AD. Methods: Patients with mild AD were enrolled in the study. The electrochemical analyzer CHI 1205b was employed to check the electrochemical signals at acupoints KI1 and GV16. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) to evaluate sleep quality, anxiety, and depression, respectively, at weeks 0 and 12. Results: This 12-week placebo-controlled study enrolled 22 patients, but only 15 patients completed the 12-week intervention and survey. Grounding significantly improved PSQI scores compared to the sham-grounding group (mean ± SD: 0.3 ± 0.7 vs. 3.0 ± 1.9, <i>p</i> = 0.006). The scores on the BAI and BDI-II did not change significantly after grounding in comparison to the sham-grounding group. Conclusions: Grounding can improve sleep quality, but it does not significantly improve anxiety and depression among patients with mild AD.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/3/581dementiagroundingPittsburgh Sleep Quality IndexBeck Anxiety InventoryBeck Depression Inventorycomplementary and alternative therapy |
| spellingShingle | Chien-Hung Lin Shih-Ting Tseng Yao-Chung Chuang Chun-En Kuo Nai-Ching Chen Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study Healthcare dementia grounding Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Beck Anxiety Inventory Beck Depression Inventory complementary and alternative therapy |
| title | Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study |
| title_full | Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study |
| title_fullStr | Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study |
| title_short | Grounding the Body Improves Sleep Quality in Patients with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Pilot Study |
| title_sort | grounding the body improves sleep quality in patients with mild alzheimer s disease a pilot study |
| topic | dementia grounding Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Beck Anxiety Inventory Beck Depression Inventory complementary and alternative therapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/3/581 |
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