LAUSR

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to assess the impact of meditation on insomnia and other menopausal symptoms experienced by working women during the menopausal transition period. Method A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 47 women between the ages of 40 and 55 who worked in three of the National Institute of Social Security units, in the city of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants were randomized into two groups: an intervention group, who practiced Raja Yoga Meditation and Sleep Hygiene - M + SH (n = 18); and a control group, who practiced only Sleep Hygiene - SH (n = 15) during a period that went from April to July 2013. Eight weekly meetings were held with the participants of both groups. Menopausal symptoms and sleep disturbances were the outcomes analyzed. Results In relation to the intensity of the insomnia symptom, improvement in relation to time was observed in both groups (M + SH p = 0.001) (SH p = 0.005). The intervention group showed a significant improvement in KMI index (p = 0,024). The control group showed improvement in PSQ total score (p = 0,016). In the comparison between groups ANOVA two-way test showed significant difference (0,026) in KMI, demonstrating that meditation can be relevant for the decrease of climatic symptoms. Conclusion The results suggest that Raja Yoga meditation may be a non-pharmacological alternative in the control of sleep quality and menopause associated symptoms during late menopausal transition, contributing to the improvement of working women’s quality of life. Registered in the Brazilian Clinical Trials Platform UTN: U1111−1136-0744.