Sleep Quality
Conditions
Keywords
Tai Chi, Older Workers, Sleep
Brief summary
This pilot, pragmatic behavioral intervention study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants aged 50+ were recruited from a university and assigned to immediate Tai Chi or a waitlist. Sessions were 3×/week for 6 weeks via Zoom. Some crossover occurred after assignment (partial randomization). Outcomes at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks. Primary outcome: PSQI. Retrospectively registered due to pandemic conditions. The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether the Tai Chi intervention improves sleep quality in older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the Tai Chi intervention change global and component PSQI scores, and does baseline mindfulness modify intervention effects? What medical problems do participants have during the study time period? Sleep disturbance, especially among older adults, is linked to declines in overall well-being. Tai Chi has been identified as a promising tool to improve sleep quality. Participants will: * Enroll in a 6-week virtual Tai Chi program taught over Zoom. * Participants took three 50-minute classes every week and got recorded videos to practice on their own. * Half of the Participants started the classes right away, while a "waitlist" group had to wait 6 weeks before getting their turn with the exact same program. * What They Measured: The researchers tracked everyone's progress at the very start, at 6 weeks, and at 12 weeks. They specifically measured sleep quality (using a standard questionnaire called the PSQI) and examined how mindful participants were when they first joined.
Detailed description
Sleep disturbance is a significant public health issue among older adults and is linked to declines in overall well-being. Tai Chi has been identified as a promising low-cost nonpharmacological strategy for improving sleep quality. However, evidence on the effectiveness of short-term virtual Tai Chi interventions remains limited, despite their potential value for older adults who face barriers to in-person participation. This study evaluated a 6-week virtual Tai Chi program delivered via Zoom. Participants attended three 50-minute sessions per week, with course recordings provided to support additional practice. A waitlist group received the same intervention after the initial 6-week period. Recruitment occurred on a university campus. Seven participants switched groups after randomization, resulting in incomplete randomization. Data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire baseline data were assessed. The intention-to-treat approach was used in the main analyses, with pre-post comparisons serving as sensitivity analyses.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALTai Chi (BaFa WuBu) / Qigong (Ba Duan Jing) intervention.
The virtual Tai Chi and Qigong intervention consisted of three 50-minute sessions per week for six weeks, led by three trained instructors. The sessions were delivered live online using Zoom. Sessions were held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and each class included 1) 10 minutes of warm-up; 2) 5 minutes of meditation; 3) 30 minutes of Tai Chi and Qigong practice; 4) 5 minutes of cool-down and summary.
Sponsors
University of Arizona
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
The virtual Tai Chi and Qigong intervention consisted of three 50-minute sessions per week for six weeks, led by three trained instructors. The sessions were delivered live online using Zoom. Sessions were held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and each class included 1) 10 minutes of warm-up; 2) 5 minutes of meditation; 3) 30 minutes of Tai Chi and Qigong practice; 4) 5 minutes of cool-down and summary. The intervention videos of all live online sessions were available on D2L site. Participants were encouraged to attend the three live sessions, use recordings for additional practice, and attend make-up sessions if they missed the live sessions. Participants will be randomized into 2 groups: those who receive the intervention immediately and those who are randomized to a waitlist.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* University Workers 50+ years of age * Consented to study
Exclusion criteria
* Did not express interest in Tai Chi intervention * Did not consent to study
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) | PSQI was collected at Baseline, 6-weeks, and 12 weeks | PSQI is a 19-item self-report questionnaire assessing sleep quality over the past month across seven components: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction. Each component is scored from 0 (no difficulty) to 3 (severe difficulty), yielding a global score range of 0 to 21. A global score \>5 indicates poor sleep quality. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORZhao Chen, PhD
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, The University of Arizona
Outcome results
None listed