Mechanisms of Mindfulness: Effects on Sleep Quality, Stress Physiology and CVD Risk

This study will be conducted among men and women participating in 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) classes at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. The central hypothesis of this NIH-funded clinical trial (K99 AT004945, PI: Greeson) is that mindfulness meditation training is associated with increased levels of mindfulness and improved cognitive-emotional functioning that, together, are associated with reduced psychological distress, improved sleep quality, and decreased stress-related physical symptoms, including muscle tension, headache, and gastrointestinal complaints. This study is designed to examine psychological mechanisms that may explain individual differences in MBSR outcomes. This knowledge is important because it will help us better understand who is most likely to benefit from mindfulness meditation training, and why. The results from this study are expected to elucidate mechanisms underlying the mental and physical health benefits of stress reduction, which can help guide clinicians in referring the most suitable patients to local MBSR programs.