Mindfulness meditation training via the Headspace app reduced stress and anxiety during pregnancy. In a month-long trial with 20 pregnant women, self-reported stress, anxiety, and pregnancy anxiety decreased significantly. One measure of heart rate variability, the low-frequency power band, dropped by 13%, indicating reduced physiological stress. 65% of participants reported improved sleep, and 95% said learning mindfulness helped other aspects of their lives. Retention was 100%, with half completing at least 95% of the intervention. The app appears to be an effective tool for reducing pregnancy-related stress and anxiety, offering a scalable alternative to in-person training.
Women experiencing homelessness with trauma exposure, PTSD, and substance use disorder found mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) activities—including yoga, meditation, body scans, class discussion, and home practice—highly acceptable and feasible. Between 71% and 89% rated each activity as 'a great deal helpful.' Focus groups with 28 women at a drug treatment site yielded four themes: perceived feasibility and effectiveness of MBSR, strategies for recruitment and retention, and characteristics of the trainer. Recommendations support trauma-sensitive implementation of MBSR in community-based programs for this population.
An 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, compared to a health promotion attention control, led to greater reductions in depression and anxiety among unstably-housed women in residential substance use disorder treatment. Posttraumatic stress symptoms improved over time in both groups but did not differ between them. Quality of life and perceived stress also improved more with MBSR. The findings suggest MBSR may help address co-occurring mental health symptoms and improve well-being in this population.