A meta-analysis study evaluating the effects of sleep quality on mental health among the adult population

This study aimed to assess how sleep quality affects mental health in adults. The mean differences (MDs), along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated from the retrieved data using a continuous model with random- or fixed-effects. Approximately 54 papers, comprising a total of 10,196 adults and conducted between 1998 and 2024, were included in this meta-analysis. Improving sleep significantly reduced depression (MD, -2.92; 95% CI, -3.61 to -2.24, P-value< 0.001) and anxiety (MD, -1.14; 95% CI, -1.32 to -0.97, P-value< 0.001) compared to standard care among adults. However, no significant difference was observed in stress (MD, -1.03; 95% CI, -2.31 to 0.25, P-value= 0.11) between improving sleep and standard care among adults. Analysis showed that improving overall sleep quality significantly reduced depression and anxiety, though no significant difference was observed in stress compared to standard care among adults. However, considering that the majority of studies had limited sample sizes, the results warrant careful interpretation. 1. Recent research indicates that individuals with mental health-related problems are more prone to certain sleep disorders. 2. Numerous clinical trials have assessed the effect of sleep-improving therapeutic approaches, including cognitive behavioral therapeutic interventions for insomnia, on mental health conditions like depressive disorders and anxiety. 3. Attempts have been made to investigate the impacts of these trials on mental health-related outcomes by meta-analyses; however, these studies were unable to draw firm conclusions about the causal link between sleep disorders and mental health-related outcomes. 4. This meta-analysis study revealed that enhancing the overall quality of sleep significantly lowered depression and anxiety. 5. However, the findings showed no significant difference in stress compared to standard care among adults. 6. There is a paucity of studies examining the benefits of sleep improvement on mental health outcomes within existing clinical and community health services. Thus, further clinical service intervention trials are needed to fully understand the efficacy and implementation of these strategies in routine care.