Investigating the comparative effectiveness of yoga and relaxation therapy on irritability, muscle tension, and sleep problems in patients with rheumatism

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a debilitating autoimmune disease, has a significant impact on both the physical and mental well-being of those affected due to its long-lasting nature. The study aimed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of yoga and relaxation therapy in improving the control of irritability, increased muscle tension, and sleep problems encountered by individuals with rheumatism. METHODS: A semi-experimental study was conducted using a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up design that spanned three months. The research involved three groups: one group of 18 participants who received yoga therapy, another group of 15 participants who received relaxation therapy, and a control group of 19 participants who did not receive any therapy. The population for this research involved all patients with rheumatism referred to the Iranian Rheumatism Center in Tehran City, Iran, between July and November 2023. Sixty individuals were selected using purposive sampling. The yoga therapy group received eight in-person sessions lasting 90 minutes each once a week, while the relaxation therapy group practiced at home with six 90-minute sessions once a week. The research utilized several tools, including the Irritability Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a standardized visual scale for muscle tension measurement. The research data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with SPSS software. RESULTS: The irritability variable showed a noteworthy disparity between the yoga therapy and relaxation therapy groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Both intervention approaches in this study influenced the irritability variable. Conversely, there was no notable distinction in muscle tension between the yoga therapy, relaxation therapy, and control groups (P > 0.05). Sleep problems displayed significant differences between the relaxation therapy and control groups (P = 0.004). However, the yoga therapy intervention in this study did not affect the sleep problem. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of the current research, it appears that both yoga therapy and relaxation therapy could be beneficial in decreasing irritability in individuals with rheumatism. Additionally, relaxation therapy has the potential to enhance sleep quality in these patients.