Efficacy of abdomen-rubbing qigong exercise for chronic insomnia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Health benefits of short Taichi Qigong exercise (STQE) to University Students' core strength, lower limb explosive force, cardiopulmonary endurance, and anxiety: A Quasi experiment research

BACKGROUND

College students' physical fitness has declined over the past decades. Taichi Qigong exercise offers numerous health benefits and could serve as a suitable option for them. Traditional programs, however, are time-consuming and necessitate long-term commitments. Therefore, a more cost-effective intervention is needed.

METHODS

The study enrolled a total of 31 students who actively participated in a 5-week STQE program, consisting of three 60-minute sessions per week. Physical and mental health assessments included the Plank test, vital capacity measurement, 1000/800 m run test, standing jump, and the Zung Self-Rating Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.

RESULTS

Following the STQE intervention, participants showed improvement in core strength (28.1 seconds in the Plank test, P = .025) and lower limb explosive force (6.52 cm in the standing jump test, P = .011), accompanied by a decrease in anxiety levels (a reduction of 3.41 in the Zung Self-Rating Scale, P = .039). However, no significant improvements were observed in cardiopulmonary endurance, as evidenced by a non-significant increase of 237.84 mL in vital capacity (P = .134) and a non-significant reduction of 1.6 seconds in the 1000/800 m run test (P = .764).

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that the STQE program effectively improves core strength, lower limb explosive force, and reduces anxiety levels among university students.

Effect of Baduanjin Qigong on Sleep Quality and Hyperarousal State in Adults With Chronic Insomnia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Chronic insomnia (CI) is a mind-body disease that is commonly defined as a state of having disturbed daytime activities due to poor nighttime sleep quality. Baduanjin qigong (BDJQG) is widely used for CI in China. However, there is little scientific evidence to evaluate its effects on the hyperarousal state, which is closely associated with improved sleep quality.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the trial is to assess the therapeutic effects of BDJQG on sleep quality in patients with CI.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial will be conducted on 86 patients, who will be divided into a BDJQG group and a cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia group at a ratio of 1:1. Interventions in both groups will be given to the participants 7 times a week for 8 weeks, and the participants will be followed up for 4 weeks. The primary outcome is the change in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index from baseline to week 8. The secondary outcomes are the changes in the Hyperarousal Scale, Insomnia Severity Index, Fatigue Scale-14, wrist actigraphy, salivary cortisol level, and functional magnetic resonance imaging from baseline to week 8. All main analyses will be carried out on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle.

RESULTS

This study was funded from January 2023. As of the submission of the manuscript, there were 86 participants. Data collection began in April 2023 and will end in January 2024. Data analysis is expected to begin in January 2024, with the publication of results expected in February 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will present data concerning the clinical effects of BDJQG on CI. The results will help to demonstrate whether BDJQG is an effective therapy for improving sleep quality in association with a decreased hyperarousal level as a possible underlying mechanism. This study will provide much-needed knowledge for complementary and alternative therapy for patients with CI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

China Clinical Registration Agency ChiCTR2300069241; https://chictr.org.cn/bin/project/ChiCTR2300069241.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/53501.

Effects of traditional Chinese exercises on insomnia after coronavirus disease 2019: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

There is growing evidence that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can trigger acute episodes of insomnia. Reports on the treatment of COVID-19-related insomnia are limited. Therefore, our study aims to perform a systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of the effects of traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) in patients with insomnia due to COVID-19.

METHODS

We will search the Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and Wan Fang Database from December 1, 2019 to October 2, 2022 to identify all articles on treatment of COVID-19-related insomnia using TCEs. Two researchers will screen the articles and extract the relevant information.

RESULTS

The results will provide a systematic overview of the current evidence on the use of TCE to treat patients with insomnia after COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The conclusions of this study will help clarify the effects of TCEs on patients with insomnia after COVID-19.

Abdominal massage alleviates functional diarrhea in immature rats via modulation of intestinal microbiota and tight junction protein

Functional diarrhea (FD) is a common type of chronic diarrhea in children. Recurrent diarrhea can negatively impact children's quality of life and raise healthcare costs significantly. However, conventional treatments are ineffective and limited. Moreover, children with chronic conditions have poor medication compliance. Therefore, non-pharmacological and complementary treatments are urgently needed. In China, abdominal massage is widely used to treat diarrhea in children. Numerous clinical studies have verified its usefulness in treating gastrointestinal disorders as well. Nevertheless, its intrinsic mechanisms are still unclear, and the impact of massage direction on treatment effects has received less attention. In our study, we found that FD was not associated with pathogen infection. A dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota and disruption of the intestinal barrier are most likely to cause FD. Moreover, this study also substantiates that abdominal massage can mitigate functional diarrhea by altering the intestinal microbiota structure and decreasing the number of bacteria that damage intestinal mucosal barriers. The reduction of Ruminococcus_torques_group and Clostridium_innocuum_group at the genus level potentially mediated the beneficial effects of abdominal massage on alleviating diarrhea. Furthermore, massaging from two different directions, clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) massage, would not significantly influence the effect of the massage on intestinal microbiota or tight junction proteins. In summary, abdominal massage is an effective complementary therapy for children suffering from functional diarrhea.

Gender Difference in the Relationship of Physical Activity and Subjective Happiness Among Chinese University Students

Background: Gender makes a difference in health and physical activity (PA). This research aimed to identify the gender difference in the relationship of PA and subjective happiness among Chinese university students.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Shanghai Jiao Tong University from July 7 to 17 in 2021, using an anonymous online self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire included the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21(DASS-21). The demographic and health-related factors were also reported. Linear regression was carried out to identify the relationship of PA and subjective happiness.

Findings: In total, 1,512 students (1,108 males and 404 females) from three comprehensive schools completed the survey. The SHS score was 17.20 ± 3.44, and it was 17.00 ± 3.23 in males, and 17.75 ± 3.93 in females, respectively (p < 0.001). There was no gender difference in vigorous, moderate PA, or walk min/week, while female students had longer sedentary behavior hours/day than males. Male students scored higher in each subscale of DASS-21. After controlling for confounders, vigorous PA min/week (β = 0.002, p = 0.002) and sedentary behavior hours/day (β = 0.168, p = 0.005) were significantly positively associated with happiness in male students. In contrast, walk min/week (2= 0.002, p = 0.005) was significantly positively associated with happiness in female students.

Interpretation: This research demonstrated a significant gender difference in the association between PA and happiness. Policymakers and college management should pay more attention to PA programs to promote students’ happiness and mental health status.