Effect of the Healing Fit program on sleep quality, stress, and concentration: a randomized controlled study

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study examined the usefulness for improving sleep quality of the Healing Fit program, which provides micro-electrical stimulation of the brain (transcranial electrical stimulation) and music therapy, in healthy adults who experienced sleep deprivation. A randomized controlled pretest–posttest design was used to evaluate effects on sleep quality, stress, and concentration. The study began after approval from the Institutional Review Board of Eulji University before conducting the study (EU22-90). Healing Fit was applied to the experimental group (n = 25) at a volume of 50 dB (about the level of normal conversation) for 30 min. Transcranial electrical stimulation intensity was set individually from 1 to 10 to the extent that the participant had no pain. Afterwards, interventions corresponding to learning, healing, and sleep music within Healing Fit were applied three times a day (30 min per session) for 14 days while participants continued their normal daily routines. The 25 control participants rested without any treatment for 30 min. Subjective/objective sleep quality, subjective/objective stress, concentration, and general characteristics were measured on day 1 of the experiment in both groups. Objective/subjective sleep quality was measured on day 7 and objective/subjective sleep quality, objective/subjective stress, and concentration were measured on day 14. The total sleep time, waking time after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, deep sleep, and subjective sleep quality were significantly better in the experimental group than in the control group. Objective and subjective stress decreased significantly in the experimental group compared to the control group, but there were no significant differences in autonomic nervous system activity. However, sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity was balanced when Healing Fit was applied. There were no significant differences in concentration between groups; however, concentration tended to increase over time in the experimental group.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinical Research Information Service (https://cris.nih.go.kr/; KCT0009045).