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
World Journal of Psychiatry April 19, 2022 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i4.636 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 541 |
| Population | People with depression or anxiety disorder |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based touch therapy (MBTT) mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) internet mindfulness meditation intervention (IMMI) mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) mindfulness meditation (MM) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Common mental disorders Meta-analysis Mindfulness-based intervention programs Sleep Systematic review |
| Key findings | Across 10 randomized trials, mindfulness-based touch therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, internet mindfulness meditation, and mindfulness-based stress reduction were associated with significant improvements in sleep problems among people with depression or anxiety, while plain mindfulness meditation showed no significant effect. The authors conclude these programs, except mindfulness meditation, are effective options for this population. |
Abstract
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. To compare the effects of different MBI programs on sleep among people with depression or anxiety disorder. 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). 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. All MBI programs (MBTT, MBCT, IMMI and MBSR), except MM, are effective options to improve sleep problems among people with depression or anxiety disorder.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- A Systematic Review on the State of the Art of Culturally Adapted Mindfulness-Based Interventions for First Nations Peoples: Cultural Adaptation, Effectiveness, and Feasibility Mindfulness September 1, 2024
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves insomnia symptoms in individuals with recurrent depression: secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023
- Clinical effectiveness of mindfulness-based music therapy on improving emotional regulation in blind older women: A randomized controlled trial. Integrative Medicine Research December 1, 2023
- Mindfulness-based music therapy for mental health in senior college students: a randomized controlled trial Frontiers in Psychology October 29, 2025
- Outcomes of Mindfulness Therapy for Adolescents with Mental Health Issues: A Scoping Review March 1, 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 21
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia Sleep August 29, 2014
- Effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in intervention for anxiety: A meta-analysis Acta Psychologica Sinica 2018
- Examining the Occurrence and Clinical Impact of Difficult Experiences that Emerge during a Mindfulness-Based Intervention among Individuals at High-Risk of Suicide. Mindfulness June 18, 2024
and 16 more in the library