Enhanced dehydroepiandrosterone levels are positively correlated with N3 sleep stage in long-term mindfulness meditation practitioners.
Sleep science (Sao Paulo, Brazil) January 1, 2022 Ravindra P Nagendra, Talakad N Sathyaprabha, Bindu M Kutty 11 citations
Long-term Vipassana meditators show increased slow-wave (N3) and REM sleep compared to non-meditators. Evening cortisol levels are similar between groups, but early morning cortisol, diurnal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and melatonin are significantly higher in meditators. Diurnal DHEA correlates significantly with N3 sleep in meditators. Higher diurnal DHEA despite comparable cortisol suggests that long-term meditation modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, influencing sleep architecture. This provides evidence for exploring mindfulness meditation as an intervention for insomnia.