Assessment of well-being using Fitbit technology in college students, faculty and staff completing breathing meditation during COVID-19: A pilot study.
Lily Garcia, Shea E Ferguson, Leslie Facio, David Schary, Courtney H Guenther
Mental health & prevention June 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.mhp.2023.200280 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 34 |
| Population | College students, faculty, and staff from a public university |
| Intervention | Breathing meditation |
| Dose | five-minute daily |
| Duration | Two weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Breathing meditation Fitbit Well-being |
| Citations | 17 |
| Key points | Daily five-minute breathing meditation may reduce anxiety and increase physical activity and REM sleep. |
Abstract
This pilot study aimed to explore the intersection of mindfulness, physical activity, and mental well-being within higher education populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. College students, faculty, and staff (n = 34) from a public university participated in the study during spring, summer, and fall 2021. All participants wore a Fitbit for two weeks and were assigned to a treatment group (n = 17), who completed a daily five-minute breathing meditation during the second week, and a control group (n = 17), who did not complete breathing meditation. Amount of sleep and physical activity were measured with the Fitbit. Surveys assessed feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, along with perceived anxiety, depression, well-being, worry, and mindfulness at baseline and after the two-week study. Results demonstrated that the intervention was feasible, and that daily breathing meditation may help reduce anxiety and may lead to greater physical activity and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This pilot study lays the foundation for further research into mindfulness, physical activity, and mental health, which may have important implications for promoting mental well-being in college populations following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 10
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Professors Practicing Mindfulness: An Action Research Study on Transformed Teaching, Research, and Service Journal of Transformative Education March 12, 2018
- Mindfulness, anxiety, and perceived stress in university students: Comparing a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) against active and traditional control conditions Journal of American College Health January 5, 2021
- Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One September 21, 2022
- The effects of app-based mindfulness practice on the well-being of university students and staff. Current Psychology May 1, 2021
and 5 more in the library