The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

 Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the first-line treatment for insomnia, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has emerged as a potential alternative. ACT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on acceptance of unwanted thoughts and feelings and commitment to actions consistent with one's values.

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT in treating insomnia. The study included randomized controlled trials that compared ACT to a control or placebo intervention in adults with insomnia. The outcomes of interest were subjective measures of sleep quality, including sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset.

The results of the meta-analysis showed that ACT was significantly more effective than control interventions in improving sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset. The study also found that the effects of ACT on sleep quality were maintained over a longer period of time compared to control interventions.

The findings suggest that ACT may be a promising alternative to CBT for the treatment of insomnia. ACT has several advantages over CBT, including a focus on acceptance and values-based behavior, rather than solely on changing negative thoughts and behaviors. Additionally, ACT can be tailored to an individual's specific needs and values.

However, there are limitations to the study that should be considered. The number of studies included in the meta-analysis was relatively small, and the quality of the evidence was moderate to low. Additionally, there was considerable variability in the types of ACT interventions used across studies, which may have affected the results.

In conclusion, ACT appears to be a promising non-pharmacological intervention for the treatment of insomnia. It has the potential to improve sleep quality, particularly in terms of reducing sleep onset latency and increasing total sleep time. Further research is needed to better understand the optimal protocols for delivering ACT and to determine the long-term effects of this intervention on sleep quality.