User Experiences and Effects of Expert-led YouTube Mind-Body Interventions on Insomniacs: A Survey Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Behavior and psychological therapies for insomnia have been demonstrated to be beneficial in therapy of insomnia. YouTube, a video-based social media platform, has become the most widely-used social media platform and is easily accessible to everyone. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of expert-led YouTube-delivered mind-body interventions (MBIs), including mindfulness, breathwork, and mental imagery on sleep disturbances and user satisfaction. METHODS In this study, we conducted analysis of data on a survey among 411 users of expert-led YouTube-delivered MBIs, who completed a questionnaire from 20th to 27th November, 2021, retrospectively. The contents of videos had multicomponent approaches, which included education of sleep hygiene, and mind-body interventions. RESULTS The participants consisted mostly of females (86.6%) and individuals in their 20s (59.1%). Most of the participants complained of difficulty falling asleep (91%), and 55.2% reported experiencing non-restorative sleep. Post YouTube-delivered MBIs, significant improvements were observed in sleep onset latency, sleep maintenance, sleep quality, daytime dysfunction, and difficulty waking up in the morning (p<0.001). Participants who had improved sleep quality complained of more severe insomnia with psychological stress. 77% of users reported overall convenience and satisfaction with the platform. CONCLUSIONS This survey showed the effectiveness of YouTube-delivered MBIs developed by experts. The accessibility advantage of YouTube as a social media platform was effectively utilized, highlighting the need for future research to explore its practical application in clinical settings. CLINICALTRIAL None