The The Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation in Reducing Anxiety and Sleep Disturbances in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly and massively from China to the rest of the world. Many of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients suffered from psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and sleep disturbances, besides physical symptoms. Treatment of the psychiatric symptoms commonly used sedative, hypnotic, and anti-anxiety drugs. However, these drugs have some side effects. As an alternative, non-pharmacological intervention is needed. Some previous studies have shown that progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) can improve anxiety levels and sleep quality in other hospitalized patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of PMR in hospitalized COVID-19 patients who experienced anxiety and sleep disturbances.
 Methods: We conducted a narrative review by searching for studies through PubMed and Google Scholar database with a publication time span from 2020 to 2021. Keywords used in the search: [“anxiety” or “sleep quality” or “sleep disturbances” or “COVID-19” or “patients”] and [“progressive muscle relaxation”].
 Results: Based on the search result, we found three related articles: two randomized controlled trials and one observational study. The studies examined the effectiveness of PMR to improve anxiety and sleep quality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. In the results of the three studies, PMR was effective in improving anxiety symptoms and sleep quality in COVID-19 patients.
 Conclusion: Considering not least of hospitalized COVID-19 patients who experienced anxiety and sleep disturbances, PMR as a non-pharmacological intervention can be implemented, because it is easy to perform and proven effective in reducing anxiety and sleep disturbances.

Anxiety level relationship with sleep quality in Post-COVID-19 patients

“…If these symptoms worsen, they might result in pneumonia, respiratory failure, organ damage, and even death. 2, 3 However, 15% of patients experience respiratory distress, diffuse alveolar injury, pulmonary inflammatory infiltrates (hyper), and microvascular thrombosis, all associated with raised inflammatory markers. Multiple organs may be damaged in addition to the respiratory symptoms.…”

The relationship between fatigue level and dyspnea in post-COVID-19 patients

“…2 Common symptoms of COVID-19 include cough, fever, fatigue, loss of sense of taste or smell, sore throat, headache, and more serious symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain. 3 The most prevalent problems usually interfering with daily functioning are fatigue and dyspnea. Fatigue is one of the most frequent symptoms of Covid-19 patients and those who have recovered from the disease.…”