Effectiveness of Mind-Body Therapies for Sleep Disturbance in Older Adults: A Network Meta-Analysis

Mind-body therapies are increasingly used to improve sleep quality in older adults with sleep disturbance. Although previous studies have explored the effects of mind-body therapies, it remains necessary to determine which interventions are most effective and comprehensively evaluate their comparative effects.

We conducted a systematic search across PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Web of Science from their inception until December 20, 2025. To analyze and visualize the results, we used the "BUGSnet" and "JAGS" packages within the R statistical software. Employing a random-effects model, we calculated effect sizes as mean differences (MDs) with 95% credible intervals (CrIs) for continuous outcomes. Furthermore, risk of bias in included trials was evaluated using the RoB 2 tool.

Out of 3792 studies screened, 45 studies involving 3,568 participants were included in the final analysis. The findings revealed that compared to control, meditation (MD - 3.49, 95% CrI -4.92 to -2.09), yoga (MD: -2.40, 95% CrI: -4.55 to -0.27), qigong (MD: -2.21, 95% CrI: -4.01 to -0.42), and tai chi (MD: -1.87, 95% CrI: -2.99 to -0.77) were associated with improvements in sleep quality. When compared with sleep hygiene education, meditation (MD: -2.87, 95% CrI: -4.45 to -1.30) demonstrated superior efficacy.

Meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong all conferred improvements in subjective sleep quality in older adults with sleep disturbance, with meditation showing the highest probability of being ranked best in the primary analysis.