Yoga intervention ups sleep quality for staff nurses

(HealthDay)—For staff nurses, a regular yoga intervention can improve sleep quality and reduce work stress, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.

Rongua Fang, R.N., and Xia Li, R.N., from the West China Hospital Sichuan University in Chengdu City, examined the impact of yoga on the quality of sleep and work stress among 120 nurses employed in a general hospital in China. The nurses were randomized to either a yoga group or a non-yoga group. The yoga group performed yoga more than two times each week (50 to 60 minutes each), while the non-yoga group did not perform yoga. Self-reported sleep quality and work stress were compared between the groups after six months.

The researchers found that better sleep quality and lower work stress was seen for nurses in the yoga versus the non-yoga group. Nursing experience, age, and yoga intervention correlated with sleep quality.

"This study provides evidence that hospital management should pay attention to nurse sleep quality and work stress, thereby taking corresponding measures to reduce work pressure and improve health outcomes," the authors write.