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. 2020 Apr 3;21(1):305.
doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04247-9.

Music to improve sleep quality in adults with depression-related insomnia (MUSTAFI): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Helle Nystrup Lund  1 , Inge Nygaard Pedersen  2 , Søren Paaske Johnsen  3 , Agnieszka M Heymann-Szlachcinska  4 , Maryla Tuszewska  5 , Gustav Bizik  6 , Jens Ivar Larsen  6 , Eszter Kulhay  6 , Anelia Larsen  6 , Bettina Grønbech  7 , Helle Østermark  7 , Heidi Borup  8 , Jan Brink Valentin  3 , Jan Mainz  9   10
Affiliations

Music to improve sleep quality in adults with depression-related insomnia (MUSTAFI): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Helle Nystrup Lund et al. Trials. .

Abstract

Background: Insomnia is a common sleep disorder for adults with depression, with major impact on their quality of life. Previous trials suggest that listening to music may be helpful in the treatment of sleep disturbances in healthy populations, including students and elderly. In addition, small studies with clinical populations of traumatized refugees, adults with chronic insomnia and adults with depression insomnia add to the evidence base. However, the impact of music listening in the treatment of depression related insomnia is not well documented.

Objective: To examine the efficacy of music listening on sleep quality, symptoms of depression, and quality of life in adults with depression-related insomnia.

Method: A single-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a two-arm parallel-group design is conducted and reported according to the CONSORT guidelines. The trial consists of an experimental group and a standard care control group. Both groups receive standard treatment for depression following Danish clinical guidelines in an outpatient psychiatry unit. The experimental group listens to music for a minimum of 30 minutes at bedtime for 4 weeks.

Discussion: This trial will provide information on the efficacy of music intervention as a non-pharmacological intervention in the treatment of depression-related insomnia. This study will provide novel knowledge concerning music medicine as an evidence-based treatment for depression.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov. ID NCT03676491, registered on 19 September 2018.

Keywords: Music; depression; insomnia; sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

HNL is co-inventor of the Music Star app and has economic interest in the research due to ownership and sales of the Music Star app. The Music Star app is commercialized in collaboration with the company AudioCura, which delivers sound equipment to Aalborg University Hospital. The company has no influence on the study. The inventors HNL and LRB are music therapists employed at Aalborg University Hospital of whom only HNL (the first author) is a member of the research group. The inventors follow the ethical principles by the Danish Union of Music Therapists (Dansk Musikterapeutforening). HNL is responsible for data collection. All data are entered in REDCAP by a research assistant independently of the first author. A statistician is responsible for data analysis. The authors INP, SPJ, AMH-S, MT, GB, JIL, EK, AL, HØ, BG, HB, JBV, and JM declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Selected solution-enabling music listening. A sound pillow is a pillow with small internal speakers. The sound pillow features a port through which to connect a player (Mp3/iPad/mobile phone). The user selects the music on the player. (Photo courtesy of Sound Oasis)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The Music Star is an app developed for iPad to select music from a number of specially designed playlists. Each playlist is represented by a colored triangle forming a star. (Photo courtesy of Musikstjernen IVS)
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Flow diagram of MUSTAFI phases, including enrolment, allocation, follow-up, and data analysis
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Schedule of enrolment, interventions, and assessments (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) flow chart)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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