Mindfulness Meditation for Sleep Disturbances Among Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Scoping Review.
Sunny H W Chan, Richard Cheston, Charlotte Steward-Anderson, Chong Ho Yu, Emily Dodd, Elizabeth Coulthard
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) January 31, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13030296 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Dementia Mindfulness meditation Non-pharmacological interventions Sleep disturbances |
| Key findings | The authors conclude that mindfulness meditation improves sleep quality, reduces insomnia severity, and enhances overall well-being in people with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease, with combined face-to-face and at-home practice appearing most effective. They note that small sample sizes and self-reported measures limit confidence and call for more rigorous long-term research. |
Abstract
Background: This scoping review investigates the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in alleviating sleep disturbances among individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). With the rising prevalence of dementia and its profound impact on cognitive function and quality of life, this review aims to synthesize existing research and identify gaps in the literature.
Methods: We systematically searched six electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus) from 2004 to 2024, yielding 462 potentially relevant articles. Screening was conducted using ASReview, an AI ranking tool, which facilitated the selection of studies. Ultimately, seven studies that met our stringent eligibility criteria were included in the review. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines for reporting.
Results: Our findings indicate that mindfulness meditation significantly improves sleep quality, reduces insomnia severity, and enhances overall well-being in this at-risk population. Notably, interventions that combine structured, face-to-face sessions with at-home practice emerged as the most effective.
Conclusions: Despite these positive outcomes, methodological limitations, including small sample sizes and reliance on self-reported measures, underscore the need for more rigorous long-term studies. This review highlights the potential of mindfulness meditation as a low-cost, scalable intervention to improve sleep and cognitive health in older adults, paving the way for future research and clinical applications.