Mind-body medicine (MBM) treatments commonly used for sleep problems in the US were yoga, spiritual meditation, and mindfulness meditation, according to a recent investigation. Although evidence supports its use for sleep problems, tai chi was used rarely by the wider population. Researchers used the 2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to study the prevalence of sleep problems and the use of MBM among individuals with sleep problems in a representative sample of the US population (n=26,742). Using chi-squared tests and backward stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses, predictors of sleep problems and of MBM use in the past 12 months were identified. They found:

• The prevalence of sleep problems was 49.3%, with higher prevalence being associated with higher age, being female, being non-Hispanic white, and higher education.
• Among individuals with sleep problems, 29.8% used MBM vs only 17.5% without.
• Being aged <30 years, female, non-Hispanic white, living in the Western US, having a higher education, and being diagnosed with heart disease predicted MBM use among individuals with sleep problems.
• Yoga (16.3%), spiritual meditation (13.6%), and mindfulness meditation (7.5%) were the most used MBM approaches.