Classical Music Meditation Content and Quality of Life: Sequential Mediation of Poor Sleep Quality and Chronic Fatigue
JooYoun Lee
International Journal of Contents June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.5392/ijoc.2026.22.2.068 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort with mediation analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 120 |
| Population | Adults who had experienced sleep or fatigue problems within the past six months |
| Intervention | Classical music meditation |
| Dose | one 40-minute session per week |
| Duration | Six-week program |
| Measures | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), WHOQOL-BREF |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Sleep quality Mediation Quality philosophy Content measure theory Sleep system call Clinical psychology Classical music Chronic fatigue Psychotherapist |
| Key findings | Participation in classical music meditation was significantly associated with higher quality of life, sequentially mediated by improved sleep quality and reduced chronic fatigue. |
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between participation in classical music meditation and adults' quality of life (QoL), specifically examining whether poor sleep quality and chronic fatigue sequentially mediated this association. One hundred twenty adults who had experienced sleep or fatigue problems within the past six months participated in a six-week program, attending one 40-minute session per week. Sleep quality, chronic fatigue, and QoL were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and WHOQOL-BREF, respectively. The reliability coefficients for these measures ranged from Cronbach's α = 0.81 to 0.91. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and PROCESS macro v.4.2 (Model 6) to test the sequential mediation model. Results indicated that participation in classical music meditation was significantly associated with a higher quality of life, mediated through improved sleep quality and reduced chronic fatigue. Specifically, the sequential pathway—classical music meditation participation → better sleep quality → lower chronic fatigue → higher quality of life —was supported. These findings suggest that music-based meditation can function as an integrative healing intervention, extending beyond a purely artistic experience. This has practical implications for education, counseling, and health promotion.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |