A mindfulness meditation mobile app improves depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance: Analysis from a randomized controlled trial
Jennifer Huberty, Megan E. Puzia, Jeni Green, Robert D. Vlisides-Henry, Linda Larkey, Michael R. Irwin, Ana-Maria Vranceanu
General Hospital Psychiatry September 11, 2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractUsing a meditation app for eight weeks led to greater improvements in depression and anxiety among 239 adults with insomnia symptoms compared to a control group. The mental health benefits were driven by reductions in both physical and mental arousal before sleep, which fully accounted for the effect on depression and partially for the effect on anxiety. Fatigue and daytime sleepiness did not explain the changes. A meditation app may improve depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance by lowering pre-sleep arousal.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 239 |
| Population | Adults with elevated insomnia symptoms and limited or no previous meditation experience |
| Intervention | meditation app |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Citations | 76 |
| Key finding | A meditation app reduced depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance, with effects mediated by reduced pre-sleep arousal. |
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to 1) determine the effects of a meditation app on depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance, and 2) explore the potential mediating effects of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and pre-sleep arousal on the relationship between use of the meditation app and changes in depression and anxiety. METHODS: Participants were 239 adults with elevated insomnia symptoms (i.e., scores ≥ 10 on the Insomnia Severity Index) and limited or no previous experience with meditation. Depression, anxiety, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and pre-sleep arousal were assessed at baseline, four weeks, and eight weeks. Repeated-measures ANCOVAs assessed intervention effects on depression and anxiety. Mediation models were estimated using the PROCESS macro. RESULTS: Participants in the meditation group had more improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms during the intervention period than did those in the control group. Changes in somatic and cognitive pre-sleep arousal at mid-intervention fully mediated effects on depression and partially mediated effects on anxiety. There were no significant indirect effects of fatigue and daytime-sleepiness on changes in mental health. CONCLUSIONS: A meditation app may improve depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance, with effects being driven by improvements in pre-sleep arousal. Future studies should consider targeting pre-sleep arousal to improve mental health in this population.