Comparison of the effectiveness of mindfulness and homeopathy on sleep and chronic pain in patients with diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) can affect many aspects of life. Numerous psychological interventions have been applied to control this disease. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness and homeopathy on sleep and chronic pain in patients with DM in Tehran, Iran. METHODS: The method of study was quasi-experimental with a control group with pretest and posttest stages. The statistical population of the study consisted of all patients with DM referred to the Iranian Diabetes Society (IDS) in Tehran in 2016. Patients with DM with sleep and chronic pain disorders were selected for this study. Among the individuals, 45 people were randomly selected and placed in 3 groups (homeopathy n = 15), mindfulness (n = 15), and control group (n = 15). The two experimental groups (homeopathy and mindfulness) underwent the interventions of homeopathy and mindfulness, respectively, while the control group was in the wait list. All three groups filled out the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) at the baseline and follow-up steps. The data were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS software (version 22, IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: The results showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBRS) and homeopathy could improve chronic pain and sleep disorders in the experimental groups (P < 0.05), however the mindfulness-based treatment was better than homeopathy for reduction of chronic pain and improvement of sleep disorders (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Mindfulness and homeopathy are effective in the reduction of chronic pain and sleep disorders in patients with DM, with mindfulness being more effective than homeopathy. This alternative medicine could improve pain and sleep effectively in patients with DM