OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the effects of health education (HE) and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), individually or combined, on vasomotor symptoms and insomnia in perimenopausal women. METHODS: This study is a single-center, pretest-posttest, randomized controlled trial with a factorial design. The research sample consists of 108 women who were randomly divided into three groups: HE plus PMR group (n = 36), PMR group (n = 36) and control group (n = 36). 90 women completed the study. The data were collected in three steps by using instruments of Personal Information Form, Visual Analog Scale and a diary for vasomotor symptoms, Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale. RESULTS: Hot flash and night sweats frequency and severity scores/24 h, the VAS scores for hot flashes and night sweats, and the WHIIRS scores significantly improved more in the intervention groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Compared to the group PMR, the group PMR plus HE had a greater improvement with larger effect size in all measurements. CONCLUSIONS: PMR and HE counseling by nurses benefit perimenopausal women who suffer from insomnia and vasomotor symptoms. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: PMR combined with HE or PMR alone is effective in managing vasomotor symptoms and insomnia; therefore, they can easily be integrated into clinical practice.
With permission from Excerpta Medica Inc.

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