A mindfulness meditation mobile app improves depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance: Analysis from a randomized controlled trial

Jennifer Huberty; Megan E Puzia; Jeni Green; Robert D Vlisides-Henry; Linda Larkey; Michael R Irwin; Ana-Maria Vranceanu

doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004

A mindfulness meditation mobile app improves depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance: Analysis from a randomized controlled trial

Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2021 Nov-Dec:73:30-37. doi: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004. Epub 2021 Sep 11.

Authors

Jennifer Huberty¹, Megan E Puzia², Jeni Green³, Robert D Vlisides-Henry⁴, Linda Larkey⁵, Michael R Irwin⁶, Ana-Maria Vranceanu⁷

Affiliations

¹ College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 500 N. 3rd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. Electronic address: jhuberty@asu.edu.
² Behavioral Research and Analytics, LLC, 154 S St., Salt Lake City, UT 84103, USA.
³ College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, 500 N. 3rd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. Electronic address: Jeni.green@asu.edu.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E., Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. Electronic address: robert.vlisideshenry@psych.utah.edu.
⁵ Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 500 N. 3rd St., Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA. Electronic address: Linda.larkey@asu.edu.
⁶ Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and Mindful Awareness Research Center, Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, 760 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, 300 UCLA Medical Plaza #3109, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Electronic address: Mirwin1@ucla.edu.
⁷ Integrated Brain Health Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02114, USA. Electronic address: avranceanu@mgh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 34537477
DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2021.09.004

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to 1) determine the effects of a meditation app on depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance, and 2) explore the potential mediating effects of fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and pre-sleep arousal on the relationship between use of the meditation app and changes in depression and anxiety.

Methods: Participants were 239 adults with elevated insomnia symptoms (i.e., scores ≥ 10 on the Insomnia Severity Index) and limited or no previous experience with meditation. Depression, anxiety, fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and pre-sleep arousal were assessed at baseline, four weeks, and eight weeks. Repeated-measures ANCOVAs assessed intervention effects on depression and anxiety. Mediation models were estimated using the PROCESS macro.

Results: Participants in the meditation group had more improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms during the intervention period than did those in the control group. Changes in somatic and cognitive pre-sleep arousal at mid-intervention fully mediated effects on depression and partially mediated effects on anxiety. There were no significant indirect effects of fatigue and daytime-sleepiness on changes in mental health.

Conclusions: A meditation app may improve depression and anxiety in adults with sleep disturbance, with effects being driven by improvements in pre-sleep arousal. Future studies should consider targeting pre-sleep arousal to improve mental health in this population.

Keywords: Consumer-based products; Digital interventions; Insomnia; Meditation; Mental health.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety / therapy
Depression / therapy
Humans
Meditation* / psychology
Mindfulness*
Mobile Applications*
Sleep