Therapeutic touch, music benefit menopausal women

In women undergoing menopause, therapeutic touch and music help improve sleep quality and quality of life, as well as reduce menopausal symptoms, as shown in a study.

The study included a total of 108 menopausal women in the therapeutic touch, music, and control groups. Researchers collected pertinent data using a Participant Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Menopause Rating Scale, and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Scale.

The therapeutic touch group underwent once-a-week sessions for 4 weeks, whereas the music group was asked to listen to music for 30 minutes before bedtime every day for 4 weeks. Post-test data were collected in all groups 4 weeks after the pretest. Analysis of covariance, post hoc tests, and partial η2 methods were performed to analyse the collected data.

Analyses adjusted for the pretest scores showed that both the therapeutic touch and music groups had significantly better post-test scores in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index dimensions of subjective sleep quality compared with the control group (p<0.001).

The same was true for sleep latency and sleep disturbances, with both showing significant improvements in the therapeutic touch and music groups vs the control group (p≤0.001 and p<0.05, respectively).

Significant differences were also observed in the post-test scores in the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Scale in favour of the therapeutic touch and music groups (p<0.001 for all).