Mindfulness Meditation and Exercise Both Improve Sleep Quality: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Community Dwelling Adults

Author: Bruce Barrett 1, Christine M Harden 2, Roger L Brown 3, Christopher L Coe 4, Michael R Irwin 5
Affiliation:
1 Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, 1100 Delaplaine Court, Madison United States. Electronic address: bruce.barrett@fammed.wisc.eu.
2 Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, 1100 Delaplaine Court, Madison United States.
3 University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Nursing, United States.
4 Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States.
5 David Geffen School of Medicine, Psychiatry, University of California - Los Angeles, United States.
Conference/Journal: Sleep Health
Date published: 2020 May 22
Other: Volume ID: S2352-7218 , Issue ID: 20 , Pages: 30115-7 , Word Count: 258


PMID: 32448712 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleh.2020.04.003

Abstract
Objectives: To assess the benefits of training in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or moderate intensity exercise (EX) for improving sleep quality.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Outpatient, community-based.

Participants: Healthy adults (n = 413) aged 30-69 who did not regularly exercise or practice meditation, and who had no known prior sleep problems.

Interventions: 1) 8-weeks of MBSR training; 2) matched EX training; or 3) wait-list control.

Measurements: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was administered at baseline and at 1, 3, 5, and 7-month follow-up visits.

Analysis: Total PSQI scores and three PSQI factors (perceived sleep quality; daily disturbances, sleep efficiency) were assessed using linear mixed effects regression models for longitudinal data.

Results: Compared to controls, PSQI global scores improved significantly for EX (mean change -0.98 points [95% CI -1.56, -0.41] p = 0.001) and marginally for MBSR (-0.53 [-1.10, 0.04] p = 0.07). The perceived sleep quality factor improved for both EX (-0.18 [-0.30, -0.07] p = 0.002) and MBSR (-0.12 [-0.24, -0.01] p = 0.035). The daily disturbances factor improved slightly more for MBSR (-0.13 [-0.22, -0.033] p = 0.008) than EX (-0.09 [-0.19, 0.004] p = 0.06). The sleep efficiency factor did not improve after MBSR (0.08 [-0.045, 0.21] p = 0.2) or EX (-0.07 [-0.20, 0.06] p = 0.3). Improvements in the sleep quality were sustained over 7 months for both groups.

Conclusions: Training in MBSR and EX produced small but statistically significant and sustained improvements in sleep quality. For EX participants, this improvement was due primarily to improvements in perceived sleep quality. For MBSR, the decrease in daytime disturbance was more important.

Keywords: Exercise; Meditation; Mindfulness; PSQI; Sleep.

Copyright © 2020 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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