Comparative efficacy of non‐pharmacological interventions on sleep quality in old adults: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions in enhancing sleep quality in older people. BACKGROUND: Sleep problems in older adults have become increasingly prominent. Sleep problems not only affect the health and quality of life of older people, but also the range of chronic diseases caused by sleep problems also impose a huge burden on social services and health care. Non-pharmacological interventions are an effective alternative to pharmacological therapies, but it is unclear which non-pharmacological therapies are most effective in enhancing sleep quality in older adults. DESIGN: A systematic review and network meta-analysis based on PRISMA-NMA. METHODS: A total of seven databases were searched from the establishment of the database to March 2023. After literature screening and data extraction, the Cochrane Bias assessment tool 2.0 version of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was used to evaluate literature quality. A network meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the relative efficacy of the non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality. RESULTS: A total of 71 RCTs involving nine non-pharmacological interventions were included. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that the joint intervention may be the most effective non-pharmacological intervention to enhance sleep quality in older adults. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that non-pharmacological interventions can improve sleep quality in older adults. The use of non-pharmacological interventions can be promoted by healthcare professionals in the future to improve the quality of sleep and thus the physical and mental health of older people. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This evidence suggests that joint interventions may be most effective. Therefore, in the future, a combination of non-pharmacological interventions could be used to maximise their effectiveness in improving sleep quality in older people and promoting healthy aging. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution is not applicable to this study.