The effect of regular periocular skin warming before bedtime on sleep and anxiety: a randomised clinical trial

A randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted to examine the effect of periocular skin warming before bedtime on sleep and anxiety in female workers with mild sleep difficulty. A total of 64 participants were included in the study, which consisted of a 1-week baseline period and a 4-week intervention period. They were randomly assigned to either the Warm group (N = 32) or the Sham group (N = 32) and were instructed to wear eye masks (warming or sham) before their habitual bedtime during the intervention period. The study found that the Athens Insomnia Scale score after the intervention was significantly lower in the Warm group compared to the Sham group. Additionally, participants in the warm condition showed a decrease in subjective sleep onset latency, better restorative sleep, and improved subjective anxiety before bedtime. A significant reduction in wake after sleep onset was observed in the Warm group at 4 weeks, and this decrease was significantly associated with the degree of improvement in subjective anxiety before bedtime. Furthermore, regular periocular skin warming before bedtime decreased sleep reactivity and improved well-being. In conclusion, the study suggests that periocular skin warming may be an effective approach for female workers with sleep problems, as it can easily be incorporated into daily life.