Skip to content

Theta Brainwave Entrainment Combined With Natural Sound on Healthcare Shift Workers With Poor Sleep Quality: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Theta Brainwave Entrainment Combined With Natural Sound on Healthcare Shift Workers With Poor Sleep Quality: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07440264
Enrollment
34
Registered
2026-02-27
Start date
2025-10-23
Completion date
2026-02-09
Last updated
2026-02-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Poor Sleep Quality

Keywords

poor sleep quality, sleep disturbance, PSQI, theta brainwave, brainwave entrainment, healthcare shift workers, qEEg, natural sound

Brief summary

Brief summary The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of theta BWE combined with natural sounds on sleep quality in healthcare shift workers. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does theta brainwave entrainment (BWE) in combination with natural sound improve the sleep quality based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score? * Does theta BWE in combination with natural sound change theta power based on quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG)? Researchers will compare theta BWE combined with natural sound to a BWE audio at a sham frequency to see if theta BWE improves sleep quality. Participants will: * undergo baseline assessments, including the PSQI questionnaire and a quantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG), before intervention is given. * receive theta BWE binaural beats (intervention group) or BWE audio at a sham frequency (control group) for 20-30 minutes daily for 14 days. * be re-measured on the PSQI questionnaire and qEEG assessment after the intervention period.

Interventions

OTHERTheta brainwave entrainment combined with natural sound

The Theta BWE-based binaural-beat auditory stimulation intervention will be implemented according to the following protocol. Participants in the intervention group will receive BWE audio through stereo headphones at two frequencies: binaural beats at 6 Hz (theta) and natural sounds. Sessions will be conducted for 20-30 minutes daily, in a quiet room. The intervention will consist of 14 sessions over two weeks. Researchers will ensure the audio volume is at a safe and comfortable level and record participants' daily compliance. During the intervention period, researchers will monitor respondents periodically to ensure adherence to the intervention protocol and to identify any side effects or complaints. Monitoring will be conducted using a daily checklist, and compliance records will be analyzed as part of the evaluation of the intervention's implementation success.

OTHERBWE audio at a sham frequency

The control group participants will listen to the BWE audio through stereo headphones at a sham frequency. Sessions will be conducted for 20-30 minutes daily, in a quiet room. The intervention will consist of 14 sessions over two weeks. Researchers will ensure the audio volume is at a safe and comfortable level and record participants' daily compliance. During the intervention period, researchers will monitor respondents periodically to ensure adherence to the intervention protocol and to identify any side effects or complaints. Monitoring will be conducted using a daily checklist, and compliance records will be analyzed as part of the evaluation of the intervention's implementation success.

Sponsors

Hasanuddin University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 50 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* healthcare shift workers at Universitas Hasanuddin Hospital, Makassar, Indonesia. * healthcare shift workers for at least the past three months, * aged 20-50 years, * having poor sleep quality based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (\>5), * willing to participate in the entire study and sign an informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* having hearing impairment, * currently taking psychotropic medications that affect sleep patterns, * having a history of epilepsy, head trauma, or other brain disorders

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scoreBaseline (enrollment) and at 2 weeks post-interventionThe PSQI score will be used to assess participants' overall sleep quality. PSQI is a self-rated questionnaire comprising 19 items belongs to one of seven subcategories: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. A PSQI score of more than five indicates poor sleep quality.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Theta powerBaseline (enrollment) and at 2 weeks post-interventionTheta power is operationally defined as spectral power within the 4-8 Hz frequency range, quantified as absolute and relative theta power derived from FFT analysis of uantitative Electroencephalography (qEEG) recordings. Researchers will perform a qEEG examination using the international 10-20 system and install 19-32 electrodes on the scalp using electrodes in a lying position, record for 15 minutes with the eyes closed or open, and perform qEEG extraction to obtain the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) theta absolute and relative power values. The measurements will be conducted before and after the intervention period.

Countries

Indonesia

Contacts

STUDY_CHAIRAbdul Muis, dr., Sp.S(K)

Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Hasanuddin

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 28, 2026