Effects of Virtual Reality Meditation on Sleep and Delirium in ICU Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Computers, informatics, nursing : CIN April 2, 2025 DOI: 10.1097/CIN.0000000000001307 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 96 |
| Population | Patients admitted to an 11-bed surgical ICU at a South Korean university hospital |
| Intervention | Virtual reality-based mindfulness and relaxation meditation |
| Dose | 20-minute session |
| Duration | Two nights of ICU admission |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Delirium Icu Sleep Virtual reality |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key findings | Virtual reality meditation improved subjective sleep quality but not objective sleep time or delirium incidence compared with standard care in ICU patients. |
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality meditation compared with standard care on sleep quality and delirium incidence in patients admitted to the ICU. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 96 patients in an 11-bed surgical ICU at a South Korean university hospital. The control group received usual sleep care, whereas the intervention group received an additional 20-minute virtual reality-based mindfulness and relaxation meditation before bedtime. Using the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale, we found significantly improved subjective sleep quality in the intervention group compared with controls during both the first (47.82 vs 39.75, P = .015) and second nights (50.26 vs 43.65, P = .025) of ICU admission. However, objective sleep measurements using Fitbit devices showed no significant differences in total sleep time between groups for either the first (384.59 vs 358.19 minutes, P = .450) or second night (319.94 vs 310.77 minutes, P = .807). Delirium incidence was similar between groups (12.2% vs 12.8%, P = .938). These findings suggest the need for larger-scale studies with robust experimental designs to definitively establish the impact of virtual reality meditation on sleep quality and delirium in ICU patients.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 2
- The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences December 21, 2018
- Enhanced dehydroepiandrosterone levels are positively correlated with N3 sleep stage in long-term mindfulness meditation practitioners. Sleep Science 2022