Muscle relaxation review finds better sleep scores, with large differences across studies
Randomized trials favored progressive muscle relaxation, but highly variable results leave uncertainty about the size of benefit in specific settings.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Pooled randomized-trial results favored progressive muscle relaxation for sleep quality, anxiety and quality of life. However, results varied substantially across studies, so the average sleep-score difference may not describe every population or setting. The abstract supports a promising signal while leaving the likely benefit for a particular person and its durability uncertain.
Very high between-study heterogeneity limits how confidently the pooled average can be applied. The abstract does not describe the patient groups, control treatments, intervention schedules or longer-term follow-up.
What researchers found
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: pooled mean difference
Relaxation versus control groups; assessment timeframes and control treatments were unspecified. Scores favored relaxation, with high between-study heterogeneity (I2 = 94.2%).
A sleep-score difference
The review combined sleep-quality results and separately reported a pooled difference on a named sleep questionnaire. That result describes questionnaire scores; it does not quantify extra sleep time or the likelihood of resolving a sleep disorder.
Why consistency checks are not enough
Sensitivity analyses still favored relaxation, and duration subgroups also showed beneficial results. Those checks do not remove the large differences between studies or establish that a longer program works better.
The original publication
Progressive muscle relaxation technique improves sleep quality and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Donato KO, Falcão L, Nishizima A et al.
J Psychosom Res · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41633054
- Record checked
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