Waking up to the problem of sleep: can mindfulness help? A review of theory and evidence for the effects of mindfulness for sleep.
Amanda J Shallcross, Pallavi Visvanathan, Sarah H Sperber, Zoe T Duberstein
Current Opinion in Psychology October 11, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.10.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Awareness Attention |
| Key points | Proposes an integrative model in which mindfulness practice targets experiential awareness, attentional control, and acceptance as key risk factors for poor sleep. Argues that mindfulness-based interventions may be promising for sleep but that evidence is mixed due to heterogeneity in study design and methods, and calls for more rigorous randomized controlled trials and for affordable, accessible, scalable interventions. |
Abstract
The high incidence of poor sleep and associated negative health consequences substantiates the need for effective behavioral sleep interventions. We offer an integrative model of sleep disturbance whereby key risk factors for compromised sleep quality and quantity are targeted through mindfulness practice-namely, experiential awareness, attentional control, and acceptance. Theoretical considerations and burgeoning evidence suggest that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may be promising treatments for improving sleep outcomes. However, evidence is mixed due to heterogeneity in design and methods across studies. More rigorous RCTs are needed to determine the efficacy and underlying mechanisms of MBI's for sleep. MBIs that are affordable, accessible, and scalable are needed to improve sleep outcomes at the population level.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 19
- The role of mindful acceptance and lucid dreaming in nightmare frequency and distress. Scientific Reports September 21, 2022
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy improves insomnia symptoms in individuals with recurrent depression: secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2023
- Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention for Chinese University Students with Sleep Problems International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health January 10, 2022
- Effectiveness and Mechanisms of a Digital Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Subthreshold to Clinical Insomnia Symptoms in Pregnant Women: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research May 5, 2025
- Mindfulness, Subjective Cognitive Functioning, Sleep Timing and Time Expansion during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study in Italy Clocks & Sleep May 30, 2023
and 14 more in the library
Cites 13
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances JAMA Internal Medicine February 16, 2015
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia Sleep August 29, 2014
- Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for People With Physical Health Conditions: Systematic Review Journal of Medical Internet Research August 31, 2017
- Telephone-based mindfulness training to reduce stress in women with myocardial infarction: Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. American heart journal August 2018
and 8 more in the library