The effectiveness of sound-based interventions on promoting sleep quality in hospitalized patients: A systematic...

Sleep quality strongly affects hospitalized patients' recovery, yet pain, anxiety, and environmental factors such as noise and light frequently disrupt it. Sound-based therapies offer a promising, non-pharmacological approach, but their effectiveness has not been comprehensively synthesized. This systematic review examined fifteen studies (2012-2026, 2024 patients, mostly intensive care settings) evaluating sound-based interventions, including calming music, nature sounds, and white noise, on sleep quality. Intervention duration and timing varied widely, from brief five-minute sessions to continuous overnight administration, and sleep quality was most often measured using validated questionnaires. Despite substantial heterogeneity, sound-based interventions were associated with an overall improvement in sleep quality, although effect sizes varied considerably and several studies showed no significant benefit. These findings support the potential of low-cost, non-pharmacological sound interventions to improve sleep in hospital settings, while underscoring the need for further research to clarify which intervention characteristics drive effectiveness.