Reference:
Yeh GY, Mietus JE, Peng CK et al. Enhancement of sleep stability with Tai Chi exercise in chronic heart failure: preliminary findings using and ECG-based spectrogram method. Sleep Med 2008:9(5): 527-36. DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2007.06.003
Objectives:
To assess the effects of a 12-week Tai Chi exercise program on sleep using the sleep spectrogram, a method based on a single channel electrocardiogram (ECG)-derived estimation of cardiopulmonary coupling, previously shown to identify stable and unstable sleep states.
Conclusions:
At 12 weeks, those who participated in Tai Chi showed a significant increase in HFC and significant reduction in LFC, compared to patients in the control group. Correlations were seen between improved sleep stability and better disease-specific quality of life.
Practical Significance:
Tai Chi exercise may enhance sleep stability in patients with chronic heart failure. This sleep effect may have a beneficial impact on blood pressure, arrhythmogenesis and quality of life.