User Experiences and Effects of Expert-Led YouTube Mind-Body Interventions on Insomniacs: A Survey Study

Behavioral and psychological therapies have been shown to be beneficial in insomnia treatment. YouTube, a video-based social media platform, has become the most widely used platform and is easily accessible to everyone. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of expert-led YouTube-delivered mind-body interventions (MBIs), including mindfulness, breathwork, and mental imagery, on sleep disturbance and user satisfaction.

We retrospectively analyzed data from 411 users of expert-led YouTube-delivered MBIs who completed a questionnaire from November 20 to 27, 2021. The content of the videos had multicomponent approaches, including education on sleep hygiene and MBIs.

Participants were mostly females (86.6%) and individuals in their 20s (59.1%). Most of the participants complained of difficulty falling asleep (91%), and 55.2% reported experiencing non-restorative sleep. After YouTube-delivered MBIs, significant improvements in sleep-onset latency, sleep maintenance, sleep quality, daytime dysfunction, and difficulty waking up in the morning (P < 0.001) were observed. Participants who had improved sleep quality complained of more severe insomnia with psychological stress. The 77% of users reported overall convenience and satisfaction with the platform.

This survey showed the effectiveness of YouTube-delivered MBIs developed by experts. The accessibility advantage of YouTube as a social media platform was effectively used, highlighting the need for future research to explore its practical applications in clinical settings.