Relationship Between Sleep and Cognitive Frailty in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

AIM: To explore the relationship between sleep and cognitive frailty in older adults. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: The Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO and PubMed databases were searched from inception to October 28, 2024. METHODS: Two investigators independently conducted literature screening, data extraction and quality assessment. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used to evaluate methodological quality. This review followed PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: This review included 13 articles involving 14,223 individuals, and 10 studies included in the meta-analysis. Across 13 studies, the overall prevalence of cognitive frailty was 25%. Sleep problems were categorised into four categories; the results reported that poor sleep quality, long sleep time and insomnia were correlated with the presence of cognitive frailty. However, the relationship between short sleep time and cognitive frailty was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This review quantitatively suggested that sleep parameters such as long sleep time, insomnia and poor sleep quality were correlated with the presence of cognitive frailty. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs and use validated instruments to measure both quantitative and qualitative aspects of sleep, thereby facilitating a thorough examination of the strength of the relationship between sleep and cognitive frailty, as well as the direction of causality. IMPACT: The review highlights the need to integrate comprehensive sleep assessments and targeted interventions into nursing care plans for older adults to enhance their sleep health. The findings will provide support for the development of effective interventions to prevent and manage cognitive frailty in the older population. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.