An online loving-kindness meditation course and a light physical exercise course both improved well-being, with no significant difference between them. Participants in the meditation course were less anxious than those in the exercise course. They were also more likely to donate money to charity, though this result was not statistically significant. The meditation course was emotionally intense, generating deep reflections and increased feelings of connectedness, but was difficult for some to process. The exercise course led to gentle increases in relaxation and a sense of achievement. Attrition was high at 82%.
A randomized controlled trial in Germany assigned 50 university students to a 7-week mindfulness intervention delivered either by live videoconference or by unguided podcasts. The videoconference group showed a larger reduction in depression than the podcast group. Both groups experienced significant increases in mindfulness and, for those analyzed as originally assigned, life satisfaction. More frequent home practice was linked to better outcomes only in the videoconference group. The findings suggest that live videoconference mindfulness training can effectively reduce depressive symptoms, while both formats improve mindfulness and life satisfaction.
Meditation practice dose is significantly associated with improvements in well-being, affect, and distress, with practice frequency being a stronger predictor of beneficial outcomes than session duration. During a two-month prospective period, 35 to 65 minutes of daily practice was required for meaningful improvements in well-being, and 50 to 80 minutes daily for meaningful improvements in mental health outcomes. Dose-response effects were moderated by lifetime practice experience, negative emotionality, and valuing mental health as a practice goal. Benefits were maintained over a two- to four-year follow-up period.