Using relaxation techniques to promote sleep also has
considerable research support.
Difficulty falling asleep maybe result from anxiety, pain, muscular and joint discomfort,
or psychologic stress associated with illness.
Teaching patients how to do progressive relaxation (learning to tense
and relax muscles systematically from head to toe) has been found to be effective by enabling them to decrease
the time to sleep onset and the number of nighttime awakenings and to sleep more soundly.
Listening to relaxing music and using guided imagery (usually done with the help of
a tape of ocean sounds, rain, waterfalls or other relaxing auditory sounds) can also promote sleep.
Additional research on the effectiveness of these interventions will improve
their usefulness in evidence-based nursing.