Waking up to the problem of sleep: can mindfulness help? A review of theory and evidence for the effects of mindfulness for sleep

•Sleep disturbance is common and is associated with serious health consequences.•Mindfulness practice may target several risk factors for sleep disturbance.•More RCTs are needed to test efficacy of mindfulness interventions (MBIs) for sleep.•Mechanisms of MBIs for sleep outcomes are poorly understood.•MBIs for sleep disturbance need to be more affordable, accessible, and scalable. The high incidence of poor sleep and associated negative health consequences substantiates the need for effective behavioral sleep interventions. We offer an integrative model of sleep disturbance whereby key risk factors for compromised sleep quality and quantity are targeted through mindfulness practice—namely, experiential awareness, attentional control, and acceptance. Theoretical considerations and burgeoning evidence suggest that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may be promising treatments for improving sleep outcomes. However, evidence is mixed due to heterogeneity in design and methods across studies. More rigorous RCTs are needed to determine the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of MBI’s for sleep. MBIs that are affordable, accessible, and scalable are needed to improve sleep outcomes at the population level.