Meditation acutely improves psychomotor vigilance, and may decrease sleep need.
Prashant Kaul, Jason Passafiume, Craig R Sargent, Bruce F O'Hara
Behavioral and Brain Functions July 29, 2010 DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-6-47 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subject cross-over design and observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Novice meditators (university students) and long-term experienced meditators with matched non-meditator controls in the Delhi region of India |
| Interventions | Meditation Nap Control activity |
| Dose | 40 minutes |
| Duration | Six days for novice meditators (two days per condition) plus one night of sleep deprivation; sleep monitoring for experienced meditators and controls during normal activities |
| Measures | Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), sleep journals, actigraphy |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | All ten novice meditators improved PVT reaction times immediately after meditation, while naps worsened performance in all but one. In long-term meditators, sleep duration was lower than controls and population norms, with no apparent decrements in PVT scores. |
Abstract
A number of benefits from meditation have been claimed by those who practice various traditions, but few have been well tested in scientifically controlled studies. Among these claims are improved performance and decreased sleep need. Therefore, in these studies we assess whether meditation leads to an immediate performance improvement on a well validated psychomotor vigilance task (PVT), and second, whether longer bouts of meditation may alter sleep need. The primary study assessed PVT reaction times before and after 40 minute periods of mediation, nap, or a control activity using a within subject cross-over design. This study utilized novice meditators who were current university students (n = 10). Novice meditators completed 40 minutes of meditation, nap, or control activities on six different days (two separate days for each condition), plus one night of total sleep deprivation on a different night, followed by 40 minutes of meditation.A second study examined sleep times in long term experienced meditators (n = 7) vs. non-meditators (n = 23). Experienced meditators and controls were age and sex matched and living in the Delhi region of India at the time of the study. Both groups continued their normal activities while monitoring their sleep and meditation times. Novice meditators were tested on the PVT before each activity, 10 minutes after each activity and one hour later. All ten novice meditators improved their PVT reaction times immediately following periods of meditation, and all but one got worse immediately following naps. Sleep deprivation produced a slower baseline reaction time (RT) on the PVT that still improved significantly following a period of meditation. In experiments with long-term experienced meditators, sleep duration was measured using both sleep journals and actigraphy. Sleep duration in these subjects was lower than control non-meditators and general population norms, with no apparent decrements in PVT scores. These results suggest that meditation provides at least a short-term performance improvement even in novice meditators. In long term meditators, multiple hours spent in meditation are associated with a significant decrease in total sleep time when compared with age and sex matched controls who did not meditate. Whether meditation can actually replace a portion of sleep or pay-off sleep debt is under further investigation.
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
Cited by 26
- A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. Journal of school psychology June 1, 2014
- Experienced Mindfulness Meditators Exhibit Higher Parietal-Occipital EEG Gamma Activity during NREM Sleep PLoS One August 28, 2013
- Dispositional Mindfulness and Memory Problems: The Role of Perceived Stress and Sleep Quality. Mindfulness September 13, 2016
- Neuroscience of the yogic theory of consciousness Neuroscience of Consciousness 2021
- A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of fMRI studies on arousing or wake-promoting effects in Buddhist meditation Frontiers in Psychology October 27, 2023
and 21 more in the library
Cites 10
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Mental Training Affects Distribution of Limited Brain Resources PLoS Biology May 4, 2007
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- The Physiology of Meditation and Mystical States of Consciousness Perspectives in biology and medicine March 1, 1976
- Sleep During Transcendental Meditation Science January 23, 1976
and 5 more in the library