Effects of brief and sham mindfulness meditation on mood and cardiovascular variables.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether a brief 3-day mindfulness meditation intervention could improve mood and cardiovascular variables compared to a sham meditation or control group.
Results Summary
The mindfulness meditation intervention reduced negative mood, depression, fatigue, confusion, and heart rate more effectively than the sham and control groups. The results suggest that even brief mindfulness training has benefits beyond placebo-like effects.
Population
82 undergraduate students (34 males, 48 females) with no prior meditation experience.
Effective Dosage
1-hour total training (3 sessions, duration per session not specified).
Duration
3 days.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
long-term meditation | decrease | negative mood | - | - | reduce | #1 |
long-term meditation | decrease | cardiovascular variables | - | - | reduce | #2 |
a 3-day (1-hour total) mindfulness meditation intervention | increase | mood | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | improve | #3 |
a 3-day (1-hour total) mindfulness meditation intervention | increase | cardiovascular variables | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | improve | #4 |
The meditation intervention | decrease | negative mood | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | more effective at reducing | #5 |
The meditation intervention | decrease | depression | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | more effective at reducing | #6 |
The meditation intervention | decrease | fatigue | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | more effective at reducing | #7 |
The meditation intervention | decrease | confusion | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | more effective at reducing | #8 |
The meditation intervention | decrease | heart rate | undergraduate students with no prior meditation experience | - | more effective at reducing | #9 |
brief meditation training | increase | mood | - | - | has beneficial effects on | #10 |
brief meditation training | increase | cardiovascular variables | - | - | has beneficial effects on | #11 |
OBJECTIVES: Although long-term meditation has been found to reduce negative mood and cardiovascular variables, the effects of a brief mindfulness meditation intervention when compared to a sham mindfulness meditation intervention are relatively unknown. This experiment examined whether a 3-day (1-hour total) mindfulness or sham mindfulness meditation intervention would improve mood and cardiovascular variables when compared to a control group. METHODS: Eighty-two (82) undergraduate students (34 males, 48 females), with no prior meditation experience, participated in three sessions that involved training in either mindfulness meditation, sham mindfulness meditation, or a control group. Heart rate, blood pressure, and psychologic variables (Profile of Mood States, State Anxiety Inventory) were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: The meditation intervention was more effective at reducing negative mood, depression, fatigue, confusion, and heart rate, when compared to the sham and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that brief meditation training has beneficial effects on mood and cardiovascular variables that go beyond the demand characteristics of a sham meditation intervention.