Sleep quality and levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in patients treated with homeopathy: a prospective study in the Brazilian public healthcare service

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have a multifactorial etiology and are associated with psychosocial factors, such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Sleep quality also influences general health and is associated with obesity and NCDs. Homeopathy, as a medical specialty, is effective in managing these conditions because of its comprehensive approach to individuals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of homeopathic treatment on sleep quality and levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational, longitudinal, and prospective study on individuals over 18 years of age with homeopathic medical follow-up for 6 months in the public healthcare service of Guarulhos, São Paulo. METHODS: Participants were evaluated initially (T0) and after 3 (T1) and 6 months (T2) using validated questionnaires (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale), following all ethical precepts. The scores were compared over time and correlated with each other (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The mean patient age was 49 years. Initially, 81% of the participants had sleep disorders and severe or extremely severe levels of stress (33.78%), anxiety (28.38%), and depression (27.03%). A total of 26 patients were present at the three evaluation points, which were included as the participants of the study. Homeopathic treatment significantly improved sleep quality and reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Sleep quality and anxiety were strongly (r = 0.53, P = 0.005) and weakly (r = 0.25, P = 0.021) correlated with stress, respectively. CONCLUSION: In the short term, homeopathic treatment had a positive impact on the sample, suggesting that this therapy can be used to prevent NCDs.