Effectiveness of Sleep Interventions for Treating Suicidality Over the Lifespan: A  Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sleep disturbances and disorders have been linked with increased suicidality. Research is just beginning to explore using sleep interventions to reduce suicidality, but until now has not considered how sleep and suicidality change across the lifespan, and how that may impact the effectiveness of interventions. This study is the first meta-analysis examining whether sleep interventions are effective for reducing suicidality, and whether age has an impact on outcomes. A search was conducted on February 8th, 2022, using PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Article selection and data extraction was performed using the Covidence Systematic Review software. Twenty-one articles were included in this study. Sleep interventions were categorized as cognitive behavioural therapies (CBTs), circadian rhythm therapies (CRTs) and pharmacological therapies (PTs). Age groups were defined as adolescents (15-18), young adult college students (18-24), and adults (18-64). Sleep interventions overall had...Show moreSleep disturbances and disorders have been linked with increased suicidality. Research is just beginning to explore using sleep interventions to reduce suicidality, but until now has not considered how sleep and suicidality change across the lifespan, and how that may impact the effectiveness of interventions. This study is the first meta-analysis examining whether sleep interventions are effective for reducing suicidality, and whether age has an impact on outcomes. A search was conducted on February 8th, 2022, using PubMed, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Article selection and data extraction was performed using the Covidence Systematic Review software. Twenty-one articles were included in this study. Sleep interventions were categorized as cognitive behavioural therapies (CBTs), circadian rhythm therapies (CRTs) and pharmacological therapies (PTs). Age groups were defined as adolescents (15-18), young adult college students (18-24), and adults (18-64). Sleep interventions overall had a small, significant effect size in reducing suicidality. CBTs and CRTs significantly reduced suicidality with small and medium effect sizes, but PTs did not. When stratified by age group, results found that sleep interventions overall significantly reduced suicidality in adolescents and adults with medium effect sizes, but there was no significant reduction in young adults. The results of this study suggest that sleep interventions may reduce suicidality and serve as a versatile and transdiagnostic treatment approach that deserves more focus. It also provides preliminary evidence that age may be a possible moderator for treatment effectiveness, and that future studies should include age as a moderator.Show less

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Effectiveness of Sleep Interventions for Treating Suicidality Over the Lifespan: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis