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The present study aimed to compare the effect of two methods on mothers' sleep in the postpartum period.
The postpartum period refers to the first 6 weeks after birth. Some mothers may find it difficult to adapt to the new role, and thus the quality of their life and sleep may be affected.
The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of aromatherapy and mindfulness through social media during the postpartum period on sleep.
This study was a randomized clinical trial study conducted in parallel design involving 3 groups (mindfulness, aromatherapy, and control) with an allocation ratio of 1:1:1. The population consisted of women who had given birth one week before and were in the postpartum period. In the mindfulness group (n=44), counseling was performed via WhatsApp in 8 sessions. The other group was given the lavender essential oil (n=44); the members of this group joined the WhatsApp channel and were shown how to use the essential oil (two drops on a napkin every other night before bed for 2 months). The control group (n=44) received routine postpartum care via WhatsApp. The quality of sleep was assessed at the beginning of the study and 8 weeks after starting the intervention.
After the intervention, sleep quality was examined at 10.39 ± 3.46, 10.77 ± 3.72, and 8.82 ± 3.47 in the control, mindfulness, and aromatherapy groups, respectively (p=0.027). A difference was found between the mindfulness group and the aromatherapy group after 8 weeks (p=0.03).
The results of the present study have indicated the important role of complementary medicine as aromatherapy in improving sleep quality with no side effects.
IRCT 2022 0706055397N1.