The Effects of Sleep Hygiene Education on Sleep Quality, Pain, and Depression in Individuals With Fibromyalgia.

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems, pain, and depression are common issues in fibromyalgia. However, studies on sleep hygiene education to address these problems are limited in the literature. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the effects of sleep hygiene education given to individuals with fibromyalgia on their sleep quality, pain, and depression levels.

Purpose: This experimental study was conducted to determine the effects of sleep hygiene education on sleep quality, pain, and depression in individuals with fibromyalgia.

Design: This study was carried out using an experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group.

Methods: Seventy individuals with fibromyalgia (35 experimental, 35 control) were included in the study. Data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The experimental group received sleep hygiene education, while the control group did not undergo any intervention.

Results: The participants in the experimental group had lower PSQI, VAS, and BDI scores after the intervention. In the inter-group comparisons, there were statistically significant differences between sleep quality and pain scores of the groups after the intervention.

Conclusions: Sleep hygiene education was found to be effective in improving sleep quality and alleviating pain and depression in individuals with fibromyalgia.

Clinical implications: Sleep hygiene education, which has been neglected in improving sleep quality and pain in the care of fibromyalgia, should be used in clinical settings.