COMPARISON OF PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION (PMR) AND MUSIC THERAPY (MT) IN REDUCING THE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS SYMPTOMS AMONG NURSES

Objective: To compare the progressive muscular relaxation and music therapy in reducing the anxiety, depression and stress symptoms among nurses. Study Design: Quasi-experimental Study. Place and Duration of Study: Various hospitals in Rawalpindi, from Mar 2018 to Mar 2019. Methodology: Sample of study was 20 female nurses. They were assessed by using depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS21), Urdu version. Study participants were randomized into two groups, group 1= who received the music therapy (n=10); group 2=who receive progressive muscular relaxation (n=10). Both the groups were provided with 4 sessions of both interventions for one month. After completion of intervention, post assessment was carried immediately and analysis was carried out. Results: Mean age of nurses was 31 ± 7.42 years (range from 19-45 years). Significant difference was found which showed that progressive muscular relaxation was more effective in reducing the symptoms of depression and stress as compared to music therapy. Whereas, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found on anxiety (both the treatments equally reduced the anxiety). Conclusion: Progressive muscular relaxation was found to be more effective in reducing stress and depression in nurses than music therapy. The use of such techniques can serve as an additional therapy in the treatment of stress, anxiety and depression and can be used to reduce the need for pharmacological therapy.

Effects of progressive muscular relaxation and stretching exercises combination on blood pressure among farmers in rural areas of Indonesia: a randomized study†

Objective Maintaining blood pressure (BP) could improve the quality of life among farmers in agricultural health. The study aims to evaluate the effects of progressive muscular relaxation and stretching exercises (SEs) for BP in farmer subjects in rural areas. Methods A randomized controlled design was applied for this study. We performed a method, which is the combination of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and SEs for participants (30 in the control group and 60 in the intervention group). The intervention group self-practiced PMR and SEs through a video that providing instructions for 15 min. PMR practiced before going to sleeping in the night, and SEs practiced before going to farms in the morning per day for 3-months. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to measure the difference between systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) as one pre- and post-test comparison of baseline and 3 months data in control and intervention groups. Results There were no significant differences between SBP and DBP pre- and post-test in control group (P > 0.050). Meanwhile, there were significant differences in reducing SBP (M = 126.67; SD = 18.07; 95% CI = 120–147.5 mmHg) and DBP (M = 80.67; SD = 6.91; 95% CI = 80–90 mmHg) pre- and post-test combination of PMR and SEs in intervention group (P < 0.001). After 3-months of follow-up data, number type SBP and DBP still remained at the same levels of baseline and 3-month data in control group. While, there was an increased number of normal and prehypertension for SBP and DBP (10% vs. 10% and 20% vs. 31.6%) and reduced of hypertension stage I for SBP and DBP (30% vs. 41.6%). Conclusions This pilot study demonstrated effectively to reduce SBP and DBP among farmers using the combination of PMR and SEs in the agricultural health setting.

Regulation of coordinated muscular relaxation in Drosophila larvae by a pattern-regulating intersegmental circuit

Typical patterned movements in animals are achieved through combinations of contraction and delayed relaxation of groups of muscles. However, how intersegmentally coordinated patterns of muscular relaxation are regulated by the neural circuits remains poorly understood. Here, we identify Canon, a class of higher-order premotor interneurons, that regulates muscular relaxation during backward locomotion of Drosophila larvae. Canon neurons are cholinergic interneurons present in each abdominal neuromere and show wave-like activity during fictive backward locomotion. Optogenetic activation of Canon neurons induces relaxation of body wall muscles, whereas inhibition of these neurons disrupts timely muscle relaxation. Canon neurons provide excitatory outputs to inhibitory premotor interneurons. Canon neurons also connect with each other to form an intersegmental circuit and regulate their own wave-like activities. Thus, our results demonstrate how coordinated muscle relaxation can be realized by an intersegmental circuit that regulates its own patterned activity and sequentially terminates motor activities along the anterior-posterior axis.

Regulation of coordinated muscular relaxation by a pattern-generating intersegmental circuit

Typical patterned movements in animals are achieved through combinations of contraction and delayed relaxation of groups of muscles. However, how intersegmentally coordinated patterns of muscular relaxation are regulated by the neural circuits remain poorly understood. Here, we identify Canon, a class of higher-order premotor interneurons, that regulates muscular relaxation during backward locomotion ofDrosophilalarvae. Canon neurons are cholinergic interneurons present in each abdominal neuromere and show wave-like activity during fictive backward locomotion. Optogenetic activation of Canon neurons induces relaxation of body wall muscles, whereas inhibition of these neurons disrupts timely muscle relaxation. Canon neurons provide excitatory outputs to inhibitory premotor interneurons. Canon neurons also connect with each other to form an intersegmental circuit and regulate their own wave-like activities. Thus, our results demonstrate how coordinated muscle relaxation can be realized by an intersegmental circuit that regulates its own patterned activity and sequentially terminates motor activities along the anterior-posterior axis.

The Effect of Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation on Sleep Quality in Elderly at Budi Agung Social Institution

ABSTRACT Background: The quality of sleep in elderly tend to decline. This occurs as a result of certain changes such as physical, biological, mental and socio-economic. The quality of sleep may influence the healthcondition for short or long terms. Poor quality of sleep may cause difficulty in concentrating, slow response, memory disturbance and decrease of performance in daily life. The decline of sleep qualitymay be resolved with Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation (JPMR) exercise. Objective: To analyze the effect of Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation on sleep quality inelderly at Budi Agung Social Institution. Methods: This study is a pre experimental study with one group pretest-posttest design. The subject ofthis study were the 19 elderly at Budi Agung Social Institution. In this study, JPMR exercise was done in5 days. Sleep quality before and after JPMR exercise was measured using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) questionnair. The data obtained was analyzed using McNemar test. Results: From a total of 19 subjects, 3 subjects had good sleep quality while 16 subjecst had poor sleepquality. On the other hand, after the JPMR excercise, improved sleep qualiy was found in the 16 subjectswhile the 3 subjects still had poor sleep quality; bivariate analysis p value = 0.002 (p <0.05). Conclusion: Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation (JPMR) has a significant effect on sleepquality in elderly at Budi Agung Social Institution. Keywords: elderly, sleep quality, Jacobson’s Progressive Muscular Relaxation, Pittsburgh Sleep QualityIndex.