The Effect of Music on Sleep Quality and Comfort in Elderly: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Summary

The aim of this clinical study is to examine the effects of music on sleep quality and comfort levels in individuals aged 65 and older.

Background Sleep disorders in elderly individuals can negatively affect their comfort and quality of life. Due to its relaxing effect, music can be used as a supportive intervention in nursing care to improve sleep quality and comfort.

Methods

This study was conducted between January and April 2023 in the internal medicine department of a hospital in İzmir, Turkey. Patients aged 65 and older were divided into two groups using simple and stratified randomization:

Music group: Listened to MusiCure® compositions for 30 minutes, three times a week, for one week.

Control group: Received no intervention. Data Collection Process

Data were collected face-to-face on the first and fourth days. The following scales were used:

Richard Campbell Sleep Scale (to assess sleep quality) Short Form of the General Comfort Scale (to measure physical, psychological, and environmental comfort) Key Points Music intervention may positively affect sleep parameters such as sleep duration, sleep onset latency, and nighttime awakenings.

Music can increase psychological and physical relaxation, enhancing comfort levels in elderly individuals.

Considering individual music preferences may improve the effectiveness of the intervention.

Ethical Principles and Approvals The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of İzmir Bakırçay University and was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.

This research aims to support the use of music interventions in nursing care and contribute to evidence-based practices to enhance sleep quality and comfort levels in elderly individuals.

Conditions

• Complementary and Alternative Therapies
• Aging
• Geriatric
• Sleep Disorder in Elderly

Interventions

OTHER

Music intervention

In the music group, "MusiCure®" compositions, which feature soft rhythmic melodies, were chosen. These musical pieces were composed by Danish composer Niels Eje (MusiCure, 2020) and are therapeutic in nature, designed for physical and mental relaxation within a range of 60-80 bpm (Eje, 2020). Literature reviews indicate that the "MusiCure®" album has positive effects on conditions such as pain, well-being, and anxiety (Fredriksson et al., 2009; Nilsson et al., 2009). The pieces to be used in this study were selected after communication with Niels Eje, and the recommended pieces were Winter, Early Spring, Equator, and Ocean Echoes (MusiCure, 2020). The music was presented hygienically to the participants through headphones and played for 30 minutes in four tracks via an mp3 player.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ege University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• yasemin yıldırım, prof.dr. · Ege University Faculty of Nursing

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Days

Max Age

100 Days

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-01-01

Primary Completion

2023-02-01

Completion

2023-04-30

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations