Close to half of adults aged 55 and above struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep. Researchers discovered during a randomized clinical trial of 49 people that for older adults, a mindfulness meditation program does better at improving sleep than a sleep education program teaching sleep improvement skills.
“We were surprised to find that the effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality was large and above and beyond the effect of the sleep hygiene education program,” said David S. Black, assistant professor of preventive medicine at the school. “Mindfulness meditation appears to have clinical importance by serving to reduce sleep problems among the growing population of older adults, and this effect on sleep appears to carry over into reducing daytime fatigue and depression symptoms.”
For the study, the participants were divided into two groups, one of which were given a six-week mindful meditation course, while the others were taught sleep hygiene habits, such as maintaining a regular pre-sleep routine and avoiding alcohol before going to bed. A year later, participants who went through the mindfulness course reported fewer disturbances during sleep than the others.
“Mindful meditation helps lower anxiety levels, so if anxiety is behind your sleep issues, it’s something to consider taking on,” said Michael Breus, sleep specialist an author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan. Several benefits of meditation have been reported in medical studies earlier, some of which have also looked at sleep.
Mindfulness meditation involves focusing attention and awareness on the present moment, without reacting to thoughts going on in the mind. Studies have reported that this approach also reduces daytime fatigue and depression, which can also lead to improved sleep.
The paper was published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal in February, 2015.
