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. 2021 Jul-Aug;42(4):869-879.
doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2021.04.014. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

Effects of music interventions on sleep in older adults: A systematic review

Darina V Petrovsky  1 , Pranav Ramesh  2 , Miranda Varrasse McPhillips  3 , Nancy A Hodgson  4
Affiliations

Effects of music interventions on sleep in older adults: A systematic review

Darina V Petrovsky et al. Geriatr Nurs. 2021 Jul-Aug.

Abstract

Sleep disruption is common among older adults. Non-pharmacological interventions involving music has emerged as a promising approach to address sleep disruption. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effects of music interventions on sleep outcomes among older adults (age ≥ 50). We searched five databases through May 2020 and found 16 eligible studies focused on two types of music interventions: music listening (n = 11) and multi-component (n = 5). We found mixed evidence in the efficacy of music interventions to improve sleep outcomes in older adults, which included sleep quality, objective and subjective sleep characteristics. Music listening interventions contained relaxing music with research teams personalizing music choice based on participants' preferences. Multi-component interventions included listening to music in addition to one other approach, such as massage, tai chi, and nature scenes. Future higher-quality studies should provide a detailed description of music interventions and tailor music selections to older adults' preferences.

Keywords: Community-dwelling older adults; Dementia; Intervention; Music; Review; Sleep.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:
Flow Diagram of the Literature Search
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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