Effects of Nonpharmacological Interventions on Sleep Quality and Insomnia in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effects of nonpharmacological interventions on perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with sleep problems. Eight databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, and four Korean databases) were searched, from their inception through to 30 November 2021, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of nonpharmacological interventions versus control conditions on sleep quality and insomnia in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the severity of insomnia was assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). In the meta-analysis, corrected standardized mean differences (SMDs; Hedges’ g) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as effect measures by applying the random effects model and inverse variant method. Fifteen trials met our inclusion criteria. Nonpharmacological interventions were found to have positive effects on sleep quality, measured with the PSQI (SMD = −1.32; 95% CI = −1.78 to −0.86; p < 0.001), and on the severity of insomnia, measured using the ISI (SMD = −1.11; 95% CI = −1.82 to –0.41; p = 0.002), compared with the control groups. Among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with sleep problems, nonpharmacological interventions improved sleep quality and reduced the severity of insomnia.