Peer-Reviewed Research: Effects of Health Qigong on Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
The journal article titled "Effects of Health Qigong on Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials" by Ling-Hsin Ko et al. (2022) explores the impact of Health Qigong on sleep quality in adults. Recognizing that sleep disturbances have become increasingly prevalent and are linked to various health issues, the authors sought to evaluate whether Health Qigong could serve as a complementary therapy for sleep improvement.
Methodology
The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching through ten databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to August 31, 2021. Studies included participants aged 18 or older, both with and without diseases, and compared Health Qigong interventions against any type of control. The types of Health Qigong analyzed included Baduanjin, Wuqinxi, and Liuzijue. The quality of each study was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2), and statistical analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software 2.0. Hedges' g was used to estimate the treatment effect size, with heterogeneity assessed through Cochran's Q test and I² statistics​(1-s2.0-S096522992200078…).
Results
The meta-analysis included 13 RCTs with a total of 1,147 participants. The overall effect size was -0.955 (95% CI: -1.601 to -0.309, p = 0.004), indicating a significant effect of Health Qigong on sleep quality. However, a high level of heterogeneity was observed (Q = 278.187, p < 0.001, I² = 95.686%). A sensitivity analysis that excluded an outlier revealed a smaller but statistically significant effect size (Hedges' g = -0.423, 95% CI: -0.603 to -0.243, p < 0.001) and reduced heterogeneity (I² = 39.137%). The authors conducted moderator analysis and meta-regression, finding that the percentage of women and age were significant moderators of treatment effects. Specifically, the treatment effect increased with a higher percentage of women and decreased with increasing age.
Discussion
The study concluded that Health Qigong significantly improves sleep quality in adults, regardless of whether they have a disease. However, the effect size was larger in diseased populations. The authors noted that Baduanjin had a more substantial impact on sleep quality compared to other forms of Health Qigong, such as Liuzijue and Wuqinxi. These results align with previous findings that have demonstrated the benefits of Baduanjin for improving sleep.
The study also highlighted limitations, such as the wide range of treatment dosages, limited trials on certain types of Qigong (e.g., only one trial on Wuqinxi), and the inability to recommend an optimal dosage. Additionally, over 50% of the included trials lacked an active control group, potentially contributing to non-specific effects like the expectancy effect. The authors suggested that further high-quality RCTs with active controls are needed to draw more definitive conclusions​.
Conclusion
This comprehensive review provides evidence that Health Qigong, particularly Baduanjin, can be an effective intervention for improving sleep quality. Despite certain limitations, the study's findings contribute valuable insights into the role of Qigong in sleep management and the need for further research on this topic.
Reference
Ko, L.-H., Hsieh, Y.-J., Wang, M.-Y., Hou, W.-H., & Tsai, P.-S. (2022). Effects of health qigong on sleep quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 71, 102876
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