Shift Nurses
Conditions
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of shift nurses practicing alternative nostril breathing to improve life quality, autonomic nervous system and immune status.
Detailed description
Breathing is regulated by autonomic nervous system. It is well-known that breathing exercise can regulate autonomic nervous function and promote relaxation. However, the mechanism for better immunity and sleep quality is not clear. We postulate that alternative nostril breathing might benefit nurses after undergoing shift work. The benefits could be due to improvement of autonomic nervous function, sleep quality, and even immune function. The study design will include a randomization of two groups, with a control group and one experimental groups for 3 months (12 weeks). The control group will do normal breathing. The experimental groups will do alternative nostril breathing twice a week (20 minutes/time) for 3 months. The study primary endpoints are 1) to improve autonomic nervous function, 2) to improve sleep quality and 3) to enhance human immunity. We anticipate to reach the primary endpoints and publish the primary results in one year.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALAlternative nostril breathing
The experimental groups will do alternative nostril breathing twice a week (20 minutes/time) for 3 months.
Sponsors
Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Shift nurses
Exclusion criteria
* Upper respiratory tract infection such as nasal congestion, runny nose, coughing, wheezing, nosebleeds, fever and other symptoms.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Improve sleep quality. | Change from baseline in sleep quality at 3 months. | Sleep quality will be assessed by pittsburg sleep quality index at three different times: (1)baseline data: before alternate nostril breathing practice ,(2)outcome data:6 and 12 weeks alternate nostril breathing practice, right after exercise measures post-test. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enhance human immunity | Change from baseline in human immunity at 3 months. | Lymphocytes will be extracted from peripheral blood for analyses of lymphocytes subpopulation, polarization and its related cytokines. Saliva will be collected at 3 different times: (1)baseline data: before alternate nostril breathing program ,(2)outcome data:6 and 12 weeks alternate nostril breathing practice, right after exercise measures post-test. |
| Improve autonomic nervous function | Change from baseline in autonomic nervous function at 3 months. | Autonomic nervous function will be assessed by biofeedback index using heart rate variability at three different times: (1)baseline data: before alternate nostril breathing practice ,(2)outcome data:6 and 12 weeks alternate nostril breathing practice, right after exercise measures post-test. |
Countries
Taiwan
Contacts
Primary ContactKuender D. Yang, PhD
Outcome results
None listed