Mindfulness training may protect and strengthen military service members' attentional control, improving performance and holistic fitness. Implementation challenges must be addressed to realize benefits consistently at scale. Despite variation in program content, evaluation metrics, and participants' career stages, recent findings suggest mindfulness training can bolster performance, cognitive functions, psychological well-being, and social relationships. Implementation factors such as daily practice, trainers' familiarity with the military, and course content influence the extent of benefits. Attentional control is critical for effective performance yet vulnerable in high-demand cohorts like military personnel. Best practice guidance is emerging, and continued research and implementation efforts are warranted.
A mindfulness and yoga intervention for U.S. Army soldiers in Basic Combat Training reduced positive screens for depression and sleep problems more than standard training alone. Depression screens fell 12.6% in the intervention group versus 7.2% in the control group. Sleep problems decreased 1.4% in the intervention group but increased 2.0% in the control group. Anxiety screens decreased over time in both groups with no significant difference between them. The findings suggest that mindfulness and yoga may help sustain mental health during high-stress military training.