Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
March 23, 2025
Feni Betriana, Sunarno Sunarno, Wiwit Nurwidyaningtyas et al.
Hypnobirthing, a non-invasive therapy involving hypnosis, relaxation, breathing exercises, and visualization, appears to reduce depression during pregnancy. A systematic review of nine studies and meta-analysis of four found that most studies reported improvements in antenatal depression, despite differences in how the therapy was delivered and how long it lasted. The therapy was administered through various methods including daily relaxation, progressive muscle relaxation, J-breathing, meditation, and ego strengthening, with participants encouraged to practice at home and followed up via visits, phone calls, or messages. The findings suggest hypnobirthing can help, but more research is needed to standardize protocols and assess long-term effects.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
July 1, 2026
Liza Jovičevič, Matej Majerič, Andrej Lapoša et al.
A combined program of physical activity and hypnosis-based mindfulness training reduced ADHD symptom severity and improved perceptual-motor abilities and dynamic balance in boys aged 8–11 with ADHD. The experimental group (20 participants) attended twice-weekly 60-minute sessions for three months; the control group (19 participants) received unsystematic emotion education. Symptom reductions were sustained at three- and six-month follow-ups. Static balance improved immediately after the intervention. The authors conclude that this structured combination may be a promising complementary intervention, but note that larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the findings.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
June 26, 2026
Sharmistha Roy, Amar Kanekar, Ashis Kumar Biswas et al.
A systematic review of 24 randomized controlled trials found that mindfulness-based interventions consistently reduce depression and generally improve anxiety among university students, though effects on stress varied. Digital interventions were as effective as in-person programs, especially when guided and multi-week. The review included studies from the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Canada, with intervention durations from 3 days to 12 weeks.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
June 21, 2026
Ebru Durusoy, Abdülhakim İbrahim Ulusoy, Özge Önürmen Zeyrek et al.
An 8-week mindfulness-based yoga program delivered via telerehabilitation led to greater improvements in fatigue, anxiety, symptoms associated with central sensitization, biopsychosocial status, symptom severity, pain catastrophising, and cognitive dimensions of pain compared to an active control group (walking and physiotherapy) in 64 women with fibromyalgia. Both groups received patient education. No significant between-group differences were found for other outcomes such as sleep quality or mindfulness level, though the yoga group showed intra-group improvements. The authors conclude that telerehabilitation-delivered mindfulness-based yoga is a viable complementary approach for reducing fibromyalgia symptom burden.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
June 1, 2026
Thurmon E Lockhart, Rahul Soangra, Christopher Frames et al.
A one-month wearable-based mindfulness intervention improved heart rate variability complexity in 87 first responders, indicating better autonomic regulation and adaptive capacity. Participants wore Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices and received daily mindfulness messages, audio exercise prompts, or no treatment via a mobile app. Sample Entropy increased from 1.39 to 1.42, Multiscale Entropy showed significant gains, and Recurrence Rate and Determinism decreased, suggesting reduced physiological rigidity. Traditional metrics like heart rate and SDNN did not change significantly. The findings support digital mindfulness strategies for stress management in high-risk occupations.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
January 13, 2026
Georgina Henry, Ingrid Honan, Emma Waight et al.
Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) who participated in a 9-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) telehealth program reported building a personal toolkit of mindfulness techniques, applying these strategies in daily life, and valuing the online group setting with expert facilitation. Participants suggested improvements: adding a group orientation, shortening sessions to reduce fatigue, and offering follow-up sessions to sustain skills. The study provides new knowledge about the experiences of adults with CP in MBSR telehealth programs, with recommendations for future implementation.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
January 4, 2026
Xiaoxiao Zhang, Zixuan Zhang
A brief ten-minute mindfulness meditation audio helped young Chinese women maintain body satisfaction and positive mood after viewing idealized social media images on Xiaohongshu, while a control group that listened to a natural history text showed significant worsening on both measures. In an online randomized trial with 168 women aged 18-35, those who meditated before exposure to appearance-focused content did not experience a significant change in body dissatisfaction or negative mood after viewing the images, whereas the control group's scores worsened significantly. Both groups initially improved after listening to their respective audios, but only the meditation group sustained those improvements when faced with idealized images.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
September 27, 2025
Anna Panzeri, Ornella Bettinardi, Fabio Giommi et al.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals faced high work-related stress that harmed their mental health and patient care. An 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, tested in a randomized controlled trial, reduced cortisol levels in the short term and improved attention and awareness, with benefits lasting through follow-up. Medium to medium-large effects on job strain and emotional fatigue were observed but did not reach statistical significance, and perceived stress changed negligibly. The variability in stress responses suggests personalized mindfulness approaches may be needed. MBSR shows promise for improving attention and reducing physiological stress markers, though effects on other occupational outcomes remain uncertain.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
September 5, 2025
Aglaia Zafeiroudi, Ioannis Tsartsapakis, Ioannis Trigonis et al.
A scoping review of ten empirical studies found that dance-based mindfulness interventions in non-clinical, recreational settings improve body awareness, emotional regulation, stress reduction, self-compassion, social connection, and overall well-being. Interventions included Dance/Movement Therapy, ballet with yoga, Sufi-inspired group dance, and school- or community-based mindful movement programs, spanning primary school children to older adults. The evidence base is limited and methodologically diverse, but the review identifies promising psychosomatic and emotional benefits and calls for more theoretically grounded, culturally sensitive, and pedagogically integrated interventions, especially in classroom-based dance education.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
August 14, 2025
Fei-Wen Lin, Ya-Hui Yang, Jiun-Yi Wang
A systematic review of 14 quantitative studies over 16 years found that Tibetan Singing Bowl interventions are associated with reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms, improved well-being and quality of life, increased Heart Rate Variability, decreased heart rate, and increased Delta and Theta brainwave activity in adults. Study populations included general adults, individuals with emotional distress, and patients with cancer or chronic illnesses. Interventions ranged from single sessions to multiple courses, sometimes combined with breathing practices. The authors conclude the interventions show potential as a non-invasive, low-risk complementary method for stress reduction, but note that heterogeneity and limited articles prevented meta-analysis, and call for more rigorously designed controlled trials.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
August 10, 2025
Selenia Di Fronso
This opinion article proposes that the Sankalpa stage of Yoga Nidra—formulating and repeating a personal intention—may aid athletes' recovery and mental health by counteracting dysfunctional thoughts, fostering intrinsic motivation, and strengthening mental resilience. Yoga Nidra is described as a meditation practice involving breathing, body awareness, visualization, and cognitive restructuring that can induce a hypnagogic state linked to improved sleep and recovery. The article suggests Sankalpa works like positive self-instructions to stop unhealthy thought patterns and enhance emotional intelligence, but emphasizes that more research is needed to clarify its mechanisms and integrate it into sport programs.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
February 6, 2025
Dong Ah Shin, Min Cheol Chang
Pain offers a measurable model for studying consciousness because both involve subjective experience and neural activity. Key theories like Global Workspace Theory and Integrated Information Theory provide frameworks for understanding consciousness, while pain research highlights how subjective interpretation and emotional context shape sensory experiences. Brain regions such as the anterior cingulate cortex and insula bridge sensory and emotional dimensions. Current methods struggle to objectively measure subjective phenomena, making neural correlates important. This work suggests that leveraging pain as a proxy can advance understanding of consciousness, with implications for mental health treatment and artificial intelligence.