SynthesisFrontiers in neurology2025
Non-pharmacological interventions for sleep in older adults: an umbrella review and evidence map of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in neurology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pooled it
- The effect of white noise on sleep quality and fatigue in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized controlled trial.BMC geriatrics · 2026Trial
- Article
- A municipality implemented behavioural intervention to improve quality of life among older adults: protocol for a mixed-methods pilot case study.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2026Article
- The Complex Interplay Between Sleep and Healthy Aging: A Scoping Review.Nature and science of sleep · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Sleep health is a critical determinant of older adults' physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being, yet pharmacological treatments for sleep disturbances carry substantial risks. Objective: This umbrella review aims to synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) for improving sleep in older adults, to inform clinical decision-making and future guidelines. Methods: This review adhered to PRIOR and PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024565849). Systematic searches were conducted across six databases from inception to July 6, 2024. Eligible studies were systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) targeting adults aged ≥60 years. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using AMSTAR 2. Certainty of evidence was rated with GRADE, and review overlap was quantified using the Corrected Covered Area (CCA). Narrative synthesis was conducted due to high heterogeneity. Results: Nineteen systematic reviews comprising 160 RCTs were included. Interventions covered six categories: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, exercise (e.g., Tai Chi), music, manual therapies (e.g., massage, acupuncture), and joint approaches. CBT significantly improved sleep onset latency (-9.29 min), wake after sleep onset (-22 min), and sleep efficiency (+7.9%). Exercise, particularly Tai Chi, reduced PSQI global scores by -1.05. Music and manual therapies also showed benefits, though with inconsistent effect sizes. Most reviews were of low methodological quality, and the certainty of evidence ranged from low to very low. CCA was 3.68%, indicating slight overlap. Conclusion: CBT and exercise-based interventions are promising for improving sleep in older adults. However, the certainty of evidence remains limited. Future high-quality RCTs are needed, and the evidence map highlights priority areas for research in geriatric sleep health. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42024565849.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.