Does vestibular stimulation modify circadian rhythms and sleep? A systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: Circadian rhythms and sleep processes are essential in human and their disruption affect health in many ways. They share anatomical-functional pathways with the vestibular system making vestibular stimulation an interesting tool that has yet to prove its efficacy at reducing such disruptions. This review aims at evaluating the effects of different types of vestibular stimulations on circadian rhythms and sleep.

Methods: It followed PRISMA recommendations and was registered to PROSPERO (CRD42024492913). The databases PubMed and ScienceDirect were searched until January 2024 for articles published between 1950 and 2023 to collect articles fitting the scope of the review.

Results: Among the ninety-six screened studies, a total of twelve studies were included. A significant beneficial effect of vestibular stimulation was shown on a circadian rhythm and in eight out of eleven studies evaluating sleep. Among the twelve studies, three showed a high risk of bias, two induced some concerns and the seven left showed a low risk of bias.

Conclusion: Vestibular stimulation appears as a promising technique to improve both circadian rhythms and sleep.

Keywords: Biological rhythms; Circadian rhythms; Galvanic vestibular stimulation; Rest-activity rhythm; Sleep.