Meditation and sleep quality
A growing body of research suggests that strengthening the mind-body connection through mindfulness and relaxation techniques can enhance emotional stability, lessen rumination, improve sleep quality, and gradually reduce insomnia symptoms.
Maintaining good sleep habits, using effective therapeutic tools, and adopting healthy routines are vital in today’s world[1]. Globally, nearly one-third of people suffer from sleep deprivation or poor sleep[2] (Ohayon, 2011), with 10% to 20% of adults facing insomnia[3] (Morin & Jarrin, 2022). These issues significantly impact physical and mental health[4](Nelson et al., 2021). Poor sleep has been linked to worse cognitive function and maladaptive behaviours[5] (Chattu et al., 2018). A comprehensive meta-analysis found that improving sleep quality benefits mental health[6] (Scott et al., 2021), and other studies confirm better sleep correlates with enhanced cognition and academic success[7] (Okano et al., 2019). While Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) remains the primary non-drug approach[8] (Koffel et al., 2018), complementary methods like mindfulness meditation may also promote better sleep[9] (Winbush et al., 2007). Meditation has shown promising results as an accessible, cost-effective way to enhance sleep[10] (Black et al., 2015; Rusch et al., 2018). The Relaxation Response theory[11] (Benson & Klipper, 2001) suggests that mindfulness practices activate the parasympathetic nervous system, producing calming physiological effects. Benson’s studies revealed decreases in heart rate, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide levels, respiratory and heart rates, blood pressure, and an increase in slow alpha waves—physiological signs of relaxation. Recent research indicates that mindfulness meditation can influence cognitive and emotional factors linked to poor sleep, such as reducing negative thoughts, emotional reactivity, and promoting adaptive reappraisal of experiences[12](Rusch et al., 2018). Jain et al. [13](2007) attributed meditation’s stress-reducing effects to skills like present-moment focus and awareness of internal and external states, which help diminish intrusive thoughts and behaviours. Brain imaging studies, including fMRI, show meditation can decrease activity in brain regions involved in emotional responses, especially the amygdala, indicating lower emotional and cognitive reactivity[14] (Davidson & Lutz, 2008; Desbordes et al., 2012). Both mindfulness and meditation aim to strengthen the mind-body connection, often through breathing, facilitating awareness of bodily stress or tension[15](Shapiro, 2020). When the amygdala detects a stressor, it sends raw signals to the body before cognitive assessment, which can be problematic with everyday stressors that aren’t real threats[16](Davidson & Lutz, 2008). Increasing body awareness through mindfulness may help individuals identify stress early, delay reactive responses, and allow time for conscious evaluation. Ong et al.[17] (2012) suggest that acceptance-based meditation fosters positive outcomes by increasing awareness of insomnia-related states and teaching strategies to shift mental processes. Although ongoing research is necessary to fully understand meditation’s effects on sleep, current evidence indicates that regular practice can train the brain to be less emotionally reactive, supporting better focus and emotional regulation. By strengthening the mind-body link, mindfulness and relaxation techniques can promote emotional stability, diminish rumination, improve sleep quality, and reduce insomnia symptoms over time[18] (Winbush et al., 2007; Neuendorf et al., 2015).
[1] Good Sleep for Good Health, 2024
[2] Ohayon, M. M. (2011). Epidemiological Overview of sleep Disorders in the General Population. Sleep Medicine Research, 2(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.17241/smr.2011.2.1.1
[3] Morin, C. M., & Jarrin, D. C. (2022). Epidemiology of Insomnia: Prevalence, Course, Risk Factors, and Public Health Burden. Sleep medicine clinics, 17(2), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2022.03.003
[4] Nelson, K. L., Davis, J. E., & Corbett, C. F. (2021). Sleep quality: An evolutionary concept analysis. Nursing Forum, 57(1), 144–151. https://doi.org/10.1111/nuf.12659
[5] Chattu, V. K., Manzar, M. D., Kumary, S., Burman, D., Spence, D. W., & Pandi-Perumal, S. R. (2018). The Global Problem of Insufficient Sleep and Its Serious Public Health Implications. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 7(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare7010001
[6] Scott, A. J., Webb, T. L., James, M. M., Rowse, G., & Weich, S. (2021). Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 60, 101556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556
[7] Okano, K., Kaczmarzyk, J. R., Dave, N., Gabrieli, J. D. E., & Grossman, J. C. (2019). Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. Npj Science of Learning, 4(1).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-019-0055-z
[8] Koffel, E., Bramoweth, A. D., & Ulmer, C. S. (2018b). Increasing access to and utilization of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): a narrative review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 33(6), 955–962. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-018-4390-1
[9] Winbush, N. Y., Gross, C. R., & Kreitzer, M. J. (2007). The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Sleep Disturbance: A Systematic Review. EXPLORE, 3(6), 585–591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2007.08.003
[10] A.Black, D. S., O’Reilly, G. A., Olmstead, R., Breen, E. C., & Irwin, M. R. (2015). Mindfulness meditation and improvement in sleep quality and daytime impairment among older adults with sleep disturbances. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(4), 494. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.8081
[11] Benson, H., & Klipper, M. Z. (2001). The relaxation response. Quill.
[12] Rusch, H. L., Rosario, M., Levison, L. M., Olivera, A., Livingston, W. S., Wu, T., & Gill, J. M. (2018). The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1445(1), 5–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13996
[13] Jain, S., Shapiro, S. L., Swanick, S., Roesch, S. C., Mills, P. J., Bell, I., & Schwartz, G. E. R. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive states of mind, rumination, and distraction. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33(1), 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15324796abm3301_2
[14] Davis, M. A. (2009). Understanding the relationship between mood and creativity: A meta-analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 108(1), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2008.04.001
Desbordes, G., Negi, L. T., Pace, T. W. W., Wallace, B. A., Raison, C. L., & Schwartz, E. L. (2012). Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00292
[15] Shapiro, S. (2020). Rewire your mind: Discover the Science and Practice of Mindfulness. Aster.
[16] Davis, M. A. (2009). Understanding the relationship between mood and creativity: A meta-analysis. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 108(1), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2008.04.001
[17] Ong, J. C., Ulmer, C. S., & Manber, R. (2012). Improving sleep with mindfulness and acceptance: A metacognitive model of insomnia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50(11), 651–660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2012.08.001
[18] Winbush, N. Y., Gross, C. R., & Kreitzer, M. J. (2007). The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Sleep Disturbance: A Systematic Review. EXPLORE, 3(6), 585–591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.explore.2007.08.003
Neuendorf, R., Wahbeh, H., Chamine, I., Yu, J., Hutchison, K., & Oken, B. S. (2015). The Effects of Mind-Body Interventions on Sleep Quality: A Systematic review. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/902708