BACKGROUND: There is growing scientific interest in assessing the biological correlates of non-pharmacological interventions such as mindfulness. Examinations of the beneficial effects of mindfulness on hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical system activity (HPA SA) and sleep are sparse. The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of long- and short-term meditation experience on HPA SA and sleep. METHOD: There were 20 participants, 9 of whom had long-term experience in meditation (mean = 264 months) and 11 novices. Novices underwent an 8-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and cortisol samples were taken in the lab at the beginning and end of the course. To assess the cortisol awakening response, 4 morning cortisol samples were collected. Sleep and mindfulness were assessed by self-rating questionnaires. RESULTS: Among participants with long-term meditation experience, morning cortisol decreased with length of experience. For novices, after an 8-week introductory MBSR course, morning cortisol levels had decreased, while both sleep and self-attribution of mindfulness significantly improved. Cortisol levels did not, however, change between the beginning and end of individual MBSR sessions. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of results lends support to the view that MBSR/meditation has a favorable influence both on biomarkers of stress regulation, such as cortisol secretion, and on sleep.
BACKGROUND: There is growing scientific interest in assessing the biological correlates of non-pharmacological interventions such as mindfulness. Examinations of the beneficial effects of mindfulness on hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical system activity (HPA SA) and sleep are sparse. The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of long- and short-term meditation experience on HPA SA and sleep. METHOD: There were 20 participants, 9 of whom had long-term experience in meditation (mean = 264 months) and 11 novices. Novices underwent an 8-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and cortisol samples were taken in the lab at the beginning and end of the course. To assess the cortisol awakening response, 4 morning cortisol samples were collected. Sleep and mindfulness were assessed by self-rating questionnaires. RESULTS: Among participants with long-term meditation experience, morning cortisol decreased with length of experience. For novices, after an 8-week introductory MBSR course, morning cortisol levels had decreased, while both sleep and self-attribution of mindfulness significantly improved. Cortisol levels did not, however, change between the beginning and end of individual MBSR sessions. CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of results lends support to the view that MBSR/meditation has a favorable influence both on biomarkers of stress regulation, such as cortisol secretion, and on sleep.
Authors: Julie Loebach Wetherell; Hayley S Ripperger; Michelle Voegtle; Beau M Ances; David Balota; Emily S Bower; Colin Depp; Lisa Eyler; Erin R Foster; Denise Head; Tamara Hershey; Steven Hickman; Noralinda Kamantigue; Samuel Klein; J Philip Miller; Michael D Yingling; Jeanne Nichols; Ginger E Nicol; Bruce W Patterson; Thomas L Rodebaugh; Joshua S Shimony; Abraham Snyder; Mary Stephens; Susan Tate; Mary L Uhrich; David Wing; Gregory F Wu; Eric J Lenze Journal: Clin Trials Date: 2020-06-27 Impact factor: 2.486
Authors: Leah A Irish; Christopher E Kline; Heather E Gunn; Daniel J Buysse; Martica H Hall Journal: Sleep Med Rev Date: 2014-10-16 Impact factor: 11.609
Authors: J David Creswell; Michael R Irwin; Lisa J Burklund; Matthew D Lieberman; Jesusa M G Arevalo; Jeffrey Ma; Elizabeth Crabb Breen; Steven W Cole Journal: Brain Behav Immun Date: 2012-07-20 Impact factor: 7.217
Authors: Kevin W Chen; Christine C Berger; Eric Manheimer; Darlene Forde; Jessica Magidson; Laya Dachman; C W Lejuez Journal: Depress Anxiety Date: 2012-06-14 Impact factor: 6.505
Authors: Miguel Marino; Marie Killerby; Soomi Lee; Laura Cousino Klein; Phyllis Moen; Ryan Olson; Ellen Ernst Kossek; Rosalind King; Leslie Erickson; Lisa F Berkman; Orfeu M Buxton Journal: Sleep Health Date: 2016-12
Authors: Germán Velez-Florez; María Camila Velez-Florez; Jose Oscar Mantilla-Rivas; Liliana Patarroyo-Rodríguez; Rodrigo Borrero-León; Santiago Rodríguez-León Journal: Curr Psychiatry Rep Date: 2018-07-21 Impact factor: 5.285
Authors: Cecile A Lengacher; Richard R Reich; Carly L Paterson; Heather S Jim; Sophia Ramesar; Carissa B Alinat; Pinky H Budhrani; Jerrica R Farias; Melissa M Shelton; Manolete S Moscoso; Jong Y Park; Kevin E Kip Journal: Psychooncology Date: 2014-06-18 Impact factor: 3.894