Cannici, J., Malcolm, R., & Peek, L. A. (1983). Treatment of insomnia in cancer patients using muscle relaxation training. Journal of Behavioral Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 14, 251–256.
The intervention consisted of individual muscle relaxation training over three sessions plus instructions for home practice twice daily. Patients were either in the relaxation (n = 15) or usual care (n = 15) group. The outcome was sleep.
Patients were undergoing the active treatment and long-term follow-up phases of care.
The study was a randomized, controlled trial.
Daily diary and questionnaire pertaining to sleep behavior the previous night, for a total of nine nights
Sleep-onset latency was reduced in the relaxation group compared with the usual care group; differences in sleep latency were maintained at the three-month follow-up. No differences were found in other sleep variables.
No cost issues existed.