Preliminary evaluation of a mindfulness intervention program in women with long COVID dysautonomia symptoms.
Brain, behavior, & immunity - health March 1, 2025 Elizabeth Vandenbogaart, Matthew Figueroa, Diana Winston et al. 1 citation
A six-week virtual mindfulness program for women with Long COVID-related dysautonomia did not improve objective measures of autonomic function or most self-reported symptoms, but it did reduce insomnia severity and decreased pro-inflammatory gene expression. Twenty women aged 21-52 years participated. Insomnia scores dropped significantly after the program but returned toward baseline by four weeks. No improvements were seen in autonomic symptoms, anxiety, perceived stress, depression, well-being, or COVID-related distress. Pro-inflammatory conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) gene expression decreased from before to after the program, especially among those with more prior COVID-19 infections. The findings suggest mindfulness may improve sleep and reduce inflammatory biology, but overall symptom burden remained high.