The Effectiveness of Guided Imagery for Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects many individuals, and it can significantly impair an individual's quality of life. Guided imagery is a mind-body technique that involves using mental images to promote relaxation and reduce stress. This article provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature on the effectiveness of guided imagery for the treatment of insomnia. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the use of guided imagery for insomnia. The studies were assessed for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and the outcomes of interest were subjective measures of sleep quality, including sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset. A total of 13 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, involving a total of 775 participants. The studies varied in terms of the duration of the intervention and the length of follow-up. The contr