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Improving Sleep Quality Leads to Better Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials

Scott, Alexander; Webb, Thomas L.; Martyn-St James, Marrissa; Rowse, Georgina; Weich, Scott

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Authors

Thomas L. Webb

Marrissa Martyn-St James

Georgina Rowse

Scott Weich



Abstract

<p>The extent to which sleep is causally related to mental health is unclear. One way to test the causal link is to evaluate the extent to which interventions that improve sleep quality also improve mental health. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials that reported the effects of an intervention that improved sleep on composite mental health, as well as on seven specific mental health difficulties. 65 trials comprising 72 interventions and N = 8,608 participants were included. Improving sleep led to a significant medium-sized effect on composite mental health (g+ = -0.53), depression (g+ = -0.63), anxiety (g+ = -0.51), and rumination (g+ = -0.49), as well as significant small-to-medium sized effects on stress (g+ = -0.42), and finally small significant effects on positive psychosis symptoms (g+ = -0.26). We also found a dose response relationship, in that greater improvements in sleep quality led to greater improvements in mental health. Our findings suggest that sleep is causally related to the experience of mental health difficulties. Future research might consider how interventions that improve sleep could be incorporated into mental health services, as well as the mechanisms of action that explain how sleep exerts an effect on mental health.</p>

Acceptance Date Sep 17, 2021
Online Publication Date Sep 23, 2021
Publication Date 2021-12
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Sleep Medicine Reviews
Print ISSN 1087-0792
Electronic ISSN 1532-2955
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 60
Article Number 101556
DOI https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/t2efb
Publisher URL https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079221001416
Related Public URLs https://psyarxiv.com/t2efb/