Effects of mindfulness-based intervention programs on sleep among people with common mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sunny Ho-Wan Chan; Danielle Lui; Hazel Chan; Kelly Sum; Ava Cheung; Hayley Yip; Chong Ho Yu

doi:10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.636

Effects of mindfulness-based intervention programs on sleep among people with common mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

World J Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 19;12(4):636-650. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.636.

Authors

Sunny Ho-Wan Chan¹, Danielle Lui², Hazel Chan², Kelly Sum², Ava Cheung², Hayley Yip², Chong Ho Yu³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. sunny.hw.chan@polyu.edu.hk.
² Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
³ School of Behavioral and Applied Science, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA 91702, United States.

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems are particularly prevalent in people with depression or anxiety disorder. Although mindfulness has been suggested as an important component in alleviating insomnia, no comprehensive review and meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate the effects of different mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) programs on sleep among people with depression or anxiety disorder.

Aim: To compare the effects of different MBI programs on sleep among people with depression or anxiety disorder.

Methods: Related publications in Embase, Medline, PubMed and PsycINFO databases were systematically searched from January 2010 to June 2020 for randomised controlled trials. Data were synthesized using a random-effects or a fixed-effects model to analyse the effects of various MBI programs on sleep problems among people with depression or anxiety disorder. The fixed-effects model was used when heterogeneity was negligible, and the random-effects model was used when heterogeneity was significant to calculate the standardised mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: We identified 397 articles, of which 10 randomised controlled trials, involving a total of 541 participants, were included in the meta-analysis. Studies of internet mindfulness meditation intervention (IMMI), mindfulness meditation (MM), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based touch therapy (MBTT) met the inclusion criteria. The greatest effect sizes are reported in favour of MBTT, with SMDs of -1.138 (95%CI: -1.937 to -0.340; P = 0.005), followed by -1.003 (95%CI: -1.645 to -0.360; P = 0.002) for MBCT. SMDs of -0.618 (95%CI: -0.980 to -0.257; P = 0.001) and -0.551 (95%CI: -0.842 to -0.260; P < 0.0001) were reported for IMMI and MBSR in the pooling trials, respectively. Significant effects on sleep problem improvement are shown in all reviewed MBI programs, except MM, for which the effect size was shown to be non-significant.

Conclusion: All MBI programs (MBTT, MBCT, IMMI and MBSR), except MM, are effective options to improve sleep problems among people with depression or anxiety disorder.

Keywords: Common mental disorders; Meta-analysis; Mindfulness-based intervention programs; Sleep; Systematic review.