Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
November 18, 2024
Alessandro Lazzarelli, Francesca Scafuto, Cristiano Crescentini et al.
30 citations
Interoceptive ability—detecting and interpreting body signals—can be trained through mind-body interventions and is central to emotion regulation. Mindfulness meditation improves both interoceptive ability and emotion regulation via top-down brain-body processing. Interventions using bottom-up processing through body movement and emotional expression remain under-investigated. The authors argue that interoceptive ability is a crucial aspect linking mind-body interventions to emotion regulation and suggest that studying it with both quantitative and qualitative methods could integrate top-down and bottom-up emotion processing, observational and non-observational body awareness, and conscious and unconscious levels of interoception.
International journal of yoga therapy
January 1, 2021
Andrea Zaccaro, André Riehl, Andrea Piarulli et al.
13 citations
Yoga nidra, an ancient meditative practice, induces an altered state of consciousness distinct from sleep. In a preliminary study, six healthy volunteers completed 12 guided sessions during a retreat. EEG recordings showed no sleep markers (K-complexes or spindles) during practice. Compared to a resting baseline, participants reported increased dissociative effects, altered body image, reduced rational thinking, and less volitional thought control. One subject's EEG analysis revealed early increases in alpha, beta, and theta power followed by reductions, with gamma power rising in later stages. These findings suggest yoga nidra produces a unique psychophysiological state, though larger studies are needed.
Clinical neuropsychiatry
October 1, 2023
Mario Miniati, Graziella Orrù, Mery Paroli et al.
7 citations
Chronic pain patients with higher levels of mindfulness attitudes report less distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and greater physical and general well-being, regardless of whether their pain is oncologic or non-oncologic. In a study of 50 patients, those scoring above a mindfulness threshold (26 of 50) had significantly lower scores on measures of pain-related disability, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and higher scores on psychological well-being. Mindfulness level was the strongest positive predictor of well-being, while anxiety and pain intensity were negative predictors.
International journal of environmental research and public health
November 13, 2024
Rebecca Ciacchini, Ciro Conversano, Graziella Orrù et al.
5 citations
A mindfulness-based stress reduction program for people with chronic pain (fibromyalgia or low back pain) improved sleep quality and showed a marginal increase in trait mindfulness. The intervention reduced perceived stress differently between the two diagnostic groups, and it also reduced anxiety in those with fibromyalgia and depressive symptoms in those with low back pain. These results suggest that mindfulness-based approaches could be tailored for personalized pain management.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
January 13, 2026
Rebecca Ciacchini, Alessandro Lazzarelli, Giorgia Papini et al.
A 12-week Qigong program for Italian university students was feasible and associated with improvements in mental health and well-being. Of 332 enrolled undergraduates, 114 completed the intervention, which combined static and dynamic Neidan Qigong exercises. Self-report measures showed consistent improvements across mindfulness, interoceptive ability, perceived stress, depression, anxiety, emotion regulation, alexithymia, and sleep quality. The findings are preliminary and uncontrolled, so further research with rigorous designs is needed to confirm stability over time and clarify the role of spontaneous movement.
International journal of environmental research and public health
June 27, 2025
Rebecca Ciacchini, Silvia Villani, Mario Miniati et al.
College students experience high rates of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. A structured mindfulness-based program called Mindfulness Laboratory (MLAB) was delivered to 194 psychology students in Italy across online, hybrid, and in-person formats over three academic years. Among the 176 students who completed pre- and post-intervention assessments, improvements were observed in mindfulness, perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, with a smaller increase in resilience. Sleep quality remained unchanged, and self-compassion slightly declined. No significant differences emerged across the three delivery formats, indicating comparable effectiveness regardless of modality. These results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions are feasible and beneficial for university students.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
March 21, 2022
Danilo Menicucci, Valentina Cesari, Enrico Cipriani et al.
preprint
The fragmented sleep, fragmented mind hypothesis links sleep disturbances to dissociative states in people with dissociative traits, supported by neurophysiological theories that altered states of consciousness may arise from disrupted functional interaction among brain modules due to inefficient sleep processes.