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The influence of autogenic training on the physical properties of skin and cardiac autonomic activity in postmenopausal women: an exploratory study
Author(s) -
Sakai Shingo,
InoueSato Mayumi,
Amemiya Rei,
Murakami Motoko,
Inagaki Kazuki,
Sakairi Yosuke
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-4632
pISSN - 0011-9059
DOI - 10.1111/ijd.14582
Subject(s) - medicine , transepidermal water loss , heart rate variability , postmenopausal women , autogenic training , autonomic nervous system , heart rate , stratum corneum , physical therapy , relaxation (psychology) , blood pressure , pathology
Background Autogenic training (AT) is a major relaxation training technique whose clinical efficacy has been verified in dermatology. Many reports demonstrate ameliorated skin conditions in AT‐treated subjects with reduced psychological stress. However, no studies have examined the effects of AT on the skin of postmenopausal women. Objectives We examine the influences of AT on the physical properties of skin and cardiac autonomic activity in postmenopausal women. Methods Postmenopausal women were classed into an AT group and a control one. The women in the AT group were mentored by a professional to practice AT twice a day for 7 weeks. The women in the control group were instructed to close their eyes for 3 minutes instead of AT. Hydration of the stratum corneum (SC), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin elasticity and heart‐rate variability (HRV) were measured before and after the study period to examine how they changed. Results SC hydration and skin elasticity of the cheek, increased in both groups, and the increase was significantly higher in the AT group ( n = 14) than in the control group ( n = 12) ( P < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 1.03; P < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.99; respectively). TEWL did not change in either group. LF/HF was lower in the AT group than in the control group ( P < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.91). Conclusion AT increased SC hydration and skin elasticity with changes in the balance of autonomic nervous system activity in postmenopausal women, implying that AT may have improvement effects on aged skin by menopause.