Supplements

Non-pharmacological interventions improve sleep quality in informal caregivers of people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia

Non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., behavioral, psychoeducational) significantly reduced PSQI scores by a mean difference of -1.27 points compared to control conditions in a meta-analysis of 5 RCTs involving 334 caregivers. However, the certainty of evidence is very low due to high risk of bias across all included trials.

Last updated: Jul 24, 2026•0 RCTs•1 Meta-analyses•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score49/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis★★★☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Sleep Interventions for Informal Caregivers of People with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

observational

Ruan JY, Qi X, Su J, Mao W, Ko E, Wu B · Clinical gerontologist (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: End-of-intervention (varied by study)
Intervention: Non-pharmacological interventions (behavioral interventions, psychoeducational interventions)
Outcome: Sleep quality measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score
Effect Size: Mean Difference = -1.27 points (95% CI [-2.34, -0.19], p=.021)
Population: Informal caregivers of people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia (mean age 64.06 years; 74.94% female)

Result:

PubMed: 42472449DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2026.2702620

Mechanism Graph

Intervention targets sleep-related behaviors or caregiver stress
↓
Improves sleep hygiene or reduces psychological distress
↓
Enhances sleep quality as measured by PSQI
↓
Result: Modest reduction in PSQI score

Limitations

  • ⚠All 21 trials had a high overall risk of bias
  • ⚠Certainty of evidence was very low, limiting confidence in the estimate

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of non-pharmacological interventions were included?▼

Behavioral interventions and psychoeducational interventions were tested across the included RCTs.

How many caregivers were included in the meta-analysis for sleep quality?▼

The meta-analysis for PSQI included 334 caregivers from 5 studies.

Is the evidence strong enough to recommend these interventions?▼

No, the evidence is very low certainty due to high risk of bias, so recommendations are limited.

What was the primary outcome measured?▼

The primary outcome was sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

Products

Affiliate links coming soon. We only recommend products that match the doses and forms used in the cited research.

References

  1. 1.Ruan JY, Qi X, Su J, Mao W, Ko E, Wu B. "Sleep Interventions for Informal Caregivers of People with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.." Clinical gerontologist, 2026. PMID: 42472449 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2026.2702620
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.