Yoga Nidra Versus Music Therapy for Sleep and Mental Well-being in Post-COVID-19 Hospitalised Patients: A Three-arm Randomised Controlled Trial
Vikram Jain, Monika Pathania, Prasan Kumar Panda, M K Singh, Prateek Harsora, Sumit Sharma
Annals of Neurosciences July 7, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/09727531261451357 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Adults recently discharged following COVID-19 hospitalization |
| Interventions | Yoga Nidra Music Therapy |
| Duration | 30-day intervention |
| Measures | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Health Scale, World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) |
| Keywords | Music therapy Randomized controlled trial Psychological intervention Mental health Sleep system call Physical therapy Sleep disorder |
| Key findings | Both Yoga Nidra and Music Therapy significantly improved sleep quality, mental health, and well-being compared with standard care, with Yoga Nidra showing greater effects on well-being and global health and Music Therapy showing stronger effects on sleep quality. |
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disturbances, particularly among recently hospitalised patients. Non-pharmacological interventions such as Yoga Nidra and Music Therapy offer cost-effective and accessible alternatives for improving psychological well-being and sleep quality in this population.
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effects of Yoga Nidra and Music Therapy on sleep quality, mental health and overall well-being among recently recovered, hospitalised COVID-19 patients.
Methods: This three-arm, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial (RCT) enrolled 90 adults recently discharged following COVID-19 hospitalisation. Participants were randomised in a 1:1:1 ratio into Yoga Nidra, Music Therapy or standard care groups. Both interventions were delivered online via Zoom for 30 min daily over 30 days. Sleep quality, mental health and well-being were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS ® ) Global Health Scale and the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) at baseline day 0, day 15 and day 30. All outcomes were treated as exploratory.
Results: Both the Yoga Nidra and Music Therapy groups demonstrated significant improvements in PSQI, PROMIS and WHO-5 scores at day 15 and day 30 compared with the control group ( p < .001 for all measures). Large effect sizes were observed across outcomes (partial η ² = 0.195–0.795). Yoga Nidra showed greater improvements in overall well-being (WHO-5) and global health (PROMIS ® ), while Music Therapy demonstrated stronger effects on sleep quality (PSQI). No significant changes were observed in the control group. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: In this exploratory RCT, Yoga Nidra and Music Therapy were associated with significant improvements in sleep quality, mental health and overall well-being among post-COVID-19 hospitalised patients compared with standard care alone. These accessible, low-cost therapies may serve as valuable adjuncts to standard care for managing post-COVID psychological distress and sleep disturbances. Larger confirmatory trials are warranted.