medRxiv
July 23, 2026
Aaron M. Eisen, Philippe R. Goldin, Jyoti Mishra et al.
preprint
Abstract Emerging evidence suggests that adults with a history of early life adversity (ELA), while more susceptible to psychopathology, may also be particularly sensitive to the benefits of contemplative practices. In the present study, we examined whether ELA was associated with greater mental health benefits following a contemplative-based social resilience training program, administered as...
Annals of Behavioral Medicine
January 4, 2025
Elissa S Epel, Brian P Don, Stefanie E Mayer et al.
To cope with chronic stress, which can contribute to depression, humans often pursue arousal-reducing activities. Yet, hormetic stressors (intermittent, acute stressors) might also reduce chronic stress. We compared the effects of arousal-reducing and arousal-enhancing interventions on depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Female adults (N = 141; predominantly White, 63%, and Asian, 34%)...
JAMA Network Open
January 2, 2025
Rachel M Radin, Julie Vacarro, Elena Fromer et al.
11 citations
Mindfulness meditation may improve well-being among employees; however, effects of digital meditation programs are poorly understood. To evaluate the effects of digital meditation vs a waiting list condition on general and work-specific stress and whether greater engagement in the intervention moderates these effects. This randomized clinical trial included a volunteer sample of adults (aged...
Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
November 1, 2024
Robin Blades, Wendy Berry Mendes, Brian P Don et al.
Stress is a driver of depression, and people with depression often struggle to cope with stress and anxiety. This study directly compares the mental health effects of a Wim Hof Method intervention to an active control condition (slow breathing) in women with high stress and high depressive symptoms. We randomized 84 healthy midlife women with high stress and high depressive symptoms to either:...
Sleep
May 1, 2023
Elizabeth F. Rasmussen, Emily J. Ricketts, Daniel S. Joyce et al.
Abstract Introduction Adverse childhood experiences can increase likelihood of hyperarousal, especially around periods of vulnerability. Survivors of trauma also experience more nightmares. These data explore whether adverse childhood events are associated with adult insomnia severity and nightmares. Methods Data were obtained from the Sleep and Healthy Activity, Diet, Environment, and...
PLoS One
2023
Rachel M Radin, Elissa S Epel, Ashley E Mason et al.
Mindfulness meditation may improve well-being at work; however, effects on food cravings and metabolic health are not well known. We tested effects of digital meditation, alone or in combination with a healthy eating program, on perceived stress, cravings, and adiposity. We randomized 161 participants with overweight and moderate stress to digital meditation ('MED,' n = 38), digital meditation...
Journal of Occupational Health Psychology
May 3, 2018
Sophie Bostock, Alexandra D Crosswell, Aric A Prather et al.
467 citations
We investigated whether a mindfulness meditation program delivered via a smartphone application could improve psychological well-being, reduce job strain, and reduce ambulatory blood pressure during the workday. Participants were 238 healthy employees from two large United Kingdom companies that were randomized to a mindfulness meditation practice app or a wait-list control condition. The app...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
December 28, 2016
Elizabeth Adler, Anand Dhruva, Patricia J Moran et al.
Background and objective: Sleep disturbance is a common problem among adults with obesity. Mindfulness interventions have been shown to improve sleep quality in various populations but have not been investigated in adults with obesity. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a mindfulness-based weight-loss intervention with an active control on self-reported sleep quality among...