Effectiveness of Yoga-based guided meditation In Improving the quality of sleep in patients with coronary artery disease: The Yoga Nidra Trial

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep quality has emerged as a risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) and is also associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality. Sleep aids, among CAD patients, lead to increased heart failure, hospitalisation, and mortality. Yoga Nidra, a form of guided meditation, has been shown to improve sleep quality and duration. The aim of the study is to evaluate the adjunctive effect of Yoga Nidra on actigraphy-measured sleep quality parameters, psychological outcomes, and health-related quality of life in patients with CAD. METHODS: This is a two-arm,1:1 allocation, randomised, controlled, open-label, blinded-endpoint, single-centre trial conducted in a tertiary care hospital between 22-9-2021 and 30-03-2024.144 out of 678 consecutively screened patients with stable CAD and poor sleep quality met the eligibility criteria and were enrolled. Participants were randomised to either a 35-minute, 12-week Yoga Nidra intervention group (n = 72) or a standard care group (n = 72) with sleep hygiene counselling imparted to all patients.The primary outcome was to assess actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency. Secondary outcomes included assessments of actigraphy-derived sleep parameters, ambulatory blood pressure (BP), echocardiographic diastolic function (E/E'), psychological health, and quality-of-life evaluations using validated scales. RESULTS: The Yoga Nidra group exhibited significant improvements in sleep efficiency (82% [76-86] vs. 64% [57-74]; p < 0.05), total sleep time (357 ± 99 min vs. 298 ± 83 min; p < 0.05), reduced sleep latency (15 [11-24] vs. 30 [14-70] min; p < 0.05), and lower wake after sleep onset (48 [28-67] vs. 67 [37-119] min; p < 0.05). Significant improvements were also observed in perceived stress, depression levels, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Yoga Nidra is effective in improving sleep quality inpatients with coronary artery disease.Stress, depression, and health-related quality of life also improved with Yoga Nidra.