Qigong may improve sleep scores in older adults, but evidence varies
Pooled trials favored qigong on a sleep questionnaire, although study differences and risk of bias reduce confidence in how consistently it helps.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The review found better sleep-quality questionnaire scores with qigong than with control conditions. Confidence in that pooled result was low, and results differed substantially across trials. A favorable result for one qigong style and a nonsignificant result for another do not establish that the styles differ in effectiveness.
The review identified substantial variation between trials and risk of bias in some studies. The abstract does not report program durations, making the timeframe and durability of any sleep benefit unclear.
What researchers found
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score
Qigong versus control groups; assessment timing was not reported in the abstract. The difference is in questionnaire-score points, not extra sleep time.
What the score represents
The main outcome was a questionnaire total reflecting sleep quality. Its pooled change does not tell readers how many additional hours participants slept or whether improvements continued once qigong sessions ended.
Styles need direct comparison
The Baduanjin subgroup showed a significant improvement, while the Wuqinxi subgroup did not. Comparing those significance labels alone cannot demonstrate that Baduanjin works better; the abstract reports no direct difference between them.
The original publication
The effects of Qigong exercise on sleep quality in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Xiong X, Zhang L, Zhang E
Front Public Health · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 41487630
- Record checked
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