Yoga-Based Breathing Exercise Improved Radiotherapy-Induced Sleep Quality in Breast Cancer

Integrating a daily short yoga-based deep breathing practice can improve sleep quality and decrease fatigue in women with breast cancer who are undergoing radiation therapy, according to study findings recently published in Oncology Nursing Forum.

Fatigue and poor sleep quality are common adverse effects of radiation therapy, and can negatively affect quality of life for patients. A pair of researchers in Turkey set out to evaluate the effects of pranayama and deep breathing exercises on fatigue and sleep quality in women undergoing radiation for breast cancer.

They conducted a randomized, controlled trial with 60 patients from the outpatient radiation oncology unit of 1 hospital. They hoped to determine if the breathing techniques of pranayama could boost patients’ parasympathetic nervous system activity and ultimately improve fatigue.

Patients were randomly assigned 20 each to a standard care group, a deep breathing group, and a pranayama group. The patients assigned to the deep breathing group and the pranayama group participated in 10-minute sessions after 25 daily radiation treatments over 5 consecutive weeks, excluding weekends.

Patients’ fatigue was assessed using the Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS), a scale comprised of 22 items and 4 subdimensions with each item ranked on a scale from 0 to 10. Patients were also asked to conduct self-assessments using the 19-item Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

PFS score was significantly increased postintervention compared with preintervention in the control group. Pre- and postintervention PFS scores were not significantly different in intragroup comparisons of the deep-breathing and pranayama groups, and no significant differences were noted in PFS scores in intergroup comparison of all 3 groups.nter

PSQI score decreased by 1.6 points from 8.5 to 6.9 points in the pranayama group. This suggests their sleep quality improved with the intervention compared with their status prior to the intervention. The researchers theorize that an increase in the practice of pranayama may lead to greater improvement in sleep quality.

No difference in PSQI score was noted in intragroup comparisons of the deep breathing and control groups; nor in intergroup comparisons of the deep breathing, pranayama, and control groups.

Pranayama and other breathing exercises are easy-to-learn, easy-to-perform, and low-stress activities that can be performed alone or with others.

“However, patients need to be supported in learning and incorporating these exercises into their daily activities and making them a habit,” the authors wrote. “This includes teaching the exercises, facilitating their integration into daily activities, and supporting patients in making them a regular part of their routine.”

Reference

Gündogdu F, Koçaşli S. The effects of pranayama or deep breathing exercises on fatigue and sleep quality in women receiving radiation therapy for breast cancer. Oncology Nurs Forum. July 2023;50(4):509-520. doi:10.1188/23.ONF.509-520