TY - JOUR
T1 - A mindfulness meditation mobile app improves depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance
T2 - Analysis from a randomized controlled trial
AU - Huberty, Jennifer
AU - Puzia, Megan E.
AU - Green, Jeni
AU - Vlisides-Henry, Robert D.
AU - Larkey, Linda
AU - Irwin, Michael R.
AU - Vranceanu, Ana Maria
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2021/11/1
Y1 - 2021/11/1
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Consumer-based products
KW - Digital interventions
KW - Insomnia
KW - Meditation
KW - Mental health
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U2 - 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004
DO - 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 34537477
AN - SCOPUS:85115021730
SN - 0163-8343
VL - 73
SP - 30
EP - 37
JO - General Hospital Psychiatry
JF - General Hospital Psychiatry
ER -