Mindfulness-based interventions to promote improved sleep quality in older adults.
Nursing March 1, 2026 Pham Quang Trung Tong, Kirsten Munk
This article reviews research on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for improving sleep quality in older adults, who commonly experience sleep disturbances linked to anxiety, dementia, falls, and comorbidities like chronic pain and depression. MBIs—including mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia, and practices like yoga and tai chi—have shown benefits such as improved sleep duration and quality, reduced anxiety and depression symptoms, and less pain. The authors contend that mindfulness is an effective, low-risk, low-cost approach, especially within structured programs, and early evidence suggests digital delivery via apps may increase accessibility. They recommend nurses assess sleep, address interfering health issues, and educate patients about MBIs.