Psychological Interventions to Improve Sleep in Young Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Introduction:The effects of impaired sleep on the wellbeing of young adults are profound, and the adverse outcomes for mental health are well documented in the research literature.Objective:This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify, summarize, and synthesize the available evidence from randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) investigating psychological interventions aimed at improving sleep and related secondary outcomes such as anxiety and depression in healthy young adults.Method:Nine electronic databases (Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], PubMed, Scopus, PsycNET, CINHAL, INFORMIT, Web of Science [Science and Social Citation Index], OpenSigle and EMBASE) were searched, returning 54 full-text papers for assessment, with 13 studies meeting inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis.Results: A random effects meta-analysis showed that the combined effect of all interventions was moderate (ES = -0.53, 95% CIs [- 0.69, -0.36], p < .01), reflecting the efficacy of psychological interventions at improving sleep scores at post-intervention. Subgroup analyses of individual interventions showed that cognitive-behavioral interventions improved sleep (ES = -0.67, 95% CIs [-0.77, -0.57], p < .01) and secondary outcomes for anxiety (ES = -0.35, 95% CIs [-0.56, -0.15], p < .01) and depression (ES = -0.41, 95% CIs [-0.70, -0.13], p < .01) at post-intervention.Conclusion: The results of the current review support the implementation of cognitive and behavioral interventions for sleep among young adults experiencing both sleep and comorbid mental health problems.

Automated summary

The systematic review and meta-analysis found that psychological interventions are effective in improving sleep quality and related mental health issues in young adults, with cognitive-behavioral interventions showing the best results.