Yoga and mindfulness emerge as top treatments for depression-linked sleep problems
A comprehensive analysis of 27 studies found that yoga and mindfulness-based exercises significantly improve sleep quality in people with depression—a finding with major implications for mental health treatment protocols and corporate wellness programs. Since poor sleep worsens depression and delays recovery, these low-cost interventions could reshape how employers and healthcare systems address comorbid sleep and mood disorders.
Originaltitel: Effects of mind-body exercises on sleep quality in adults with depressive symptoms: a systematic review with pairwise, network, and dose-response meta-analyses
<p>Sleep disorders are highly comorbid with depression. Impaired sleep quality aggravates depressive symptoms, delays recovery, and increases the risk of additional physical and mental disorders. Although mind-body exercises (MBEs) can improve sleep quality, the comparative effects of different types and doses in depressive populations remain unclear. This study evaluated the effects of various MBE modalities and doses on sleep quality in adults with depressive symptoms through pairwise, network, and dose-response meta-analyses to inform the current mental health interventions. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing MBEs for sleep quality in adults with depressive symptoms were searched across seven major databases from inception to July 2025. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Pairwise, network, and dose-response meta-analyses using R software examined intervention effects and dose-response associations between exercise volume and sleep improvement. Twenty-seven RCTs involving 2,718 participants were included in the systematic review. Yoga and mindfulness significantly improved sleep quality in the pairwise meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis ranked yoga as most effective (SUCRA = 85.64%), followed by Qigong (64.46%) and mindfulness (47.45%). Dose-response analysis revealed a nonlinear relationship between exercise volume and sleep improvement, with an optimal range of similar to 270-650 METs-min/week. Each MBE showed a distinct optimal range. MBEs effectively improve sleep quality in adults with depressive symptoms. Yoga showed the highest SUCRA value, followed by Qigong and mindfulness. A nonlinear dose-response pattern was observed, warranting further studies to validate and refine optimal exercise prescriptions.</p>