Prabhleen Sidhu
November 11, 2015
Psychology 1
Meditation Helps
In this paper, I am reacting to “Meditation Helps Sleep Disturbance, Cuts Fatigue,
Depression”, an article that I found on www.
Medscape.com,
by Pauline Anderson
.
And,
The
Effects of a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Programme on Pre-sleep Cognitive Arousal and
Insomnia Symptoms: A Pilot Study
by Andrea L. Cincotta and other researchers. The authors’
purpose is to inform the readers of older adults that adhere to a meditation strategy, and are made
known to an enhanced sleep standard. Along with better sleep, researchers found that adults who
meditate are less exhausted during the day and experience a decrease in depression. These
articles are focused on the idea that meditation can help reduce depression, anxiety, insomnia,
work-related stress and other diseases.
Pauline Anderson’s study was conducted among adults without any sleep disorders. The
study included 49 adults that were 55 years and older with no cognitive impairment or
depression who experienced sleep disturbances. These adults participating in the study and are
divided up into two groups: a sleep hygiene education (SHE) program or the mindfulness
awareness practice (MAP) intervention.
When the study was conducted, patients were divided
based on if they were experiencing the mindfulness awareness practice intervention or the sleep
hygiene education program to experiment which group experienced better sleep. The MAP
candidates practiced mindful sitting meditation, mindful eating, mindful walking, and mindful
movement to improve their attention, awareness, stillness, and empathy. Mindfulness means to
maintain a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and
surrounding environment. The other study group, SHE participants, practiced sleep hygiene,
which is an avoidance of noise, bright lights, and intake of caffeine or alcohol before sleep. The
results showed only an increase of mindfulness in MAP contestants but no change was seen in
SHE participants. MAP was more effective for a better night’s sleep, no signs of depression but
uplifted good moods, and a decrease in daytime fatigue was shown in the MAP group.
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