Impact of Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation Based Analysis of Heart Rate Variability in Insomnia

Funding Source, Location of Study or Author's Affiliation

Amity Institute of Physiotherapy, Amity University, Noida, U.P., India

Device

Alpha-Stim® AID

Key Variable

Sleep

Objective

Investigate the cross-sectional association between cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES), sleep duration along with its quality and autonomic activity function in healthy individual utilizing two factors, the Global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for evaluation of subjective sleep duration and quality and measuring beat to beat variation of the heart through heart rate variability.

Design

A randomized controlled trial on the impact of CES on HRV and insomnia. Patients that reported sleeping less than six hours were categorized as "Insomniac." Patients were randomly allocated to the control and CES condition.

Primary Outcome Measure

• HRV measured by Physio Pack (Kubios 2.1).
• Sleep quality as measured by Global Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score.

Results

A total of forty (40) males and females aged 18 to 44 years were screened and enrolled. Participants were randomly allocated into the Control and Experimental groups and categorized based on their sleep quality and duration and quality, the autonomic activity of 40 subjects was assessed with HRV for further analysis. No significant differences were reported at baseline between the groups.

Geometric indices of Time Domain were significantly better in the Experimental group as compared to the Control, including STDHR, (p<.025), SDNN (p<.047), RMSSD (p<.048), RR Tri (p<.037), and TINN (p<.047). In the Frequency Domain Factors statistically, significant differences were found in VLF (p<.032), HF (p<.044), and Total Power (p<.045). Significant differences in favor of CES were reported on sleep quality and quantity as measured by PSQI and HRV as indicated by Physio Pack (p<.05).