Can Mindfulness Help Your Sleep?

Sleep disturbances are common in cancer patients, but recent studies show that mind–body interventions can help improve a patient's sleep patterns.

Researchers found that 2 strategies, Mind Body Bridging and mindfulness meditation , improved sleep disturbances in cancer survivors. Mind Body Bridging was better than sleep hygiene education for decreasing self-reported sleep disturbances. Additionally self-reported symptoms of depression decreased in patients in the Mind Body Bridging group, compared with the education group and overall levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, and well-being improved. So what are mindfulness based interventions?

Mindfulness-based interventions are mind–body interventions that focus on the power of mental training in regulating health conditions, and use mental training to facilitate awareness, attention, intention, and attitude, the researchers note. These interventions include mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and the more recent Mind Body Bridging. MBB teaches awareness skills to help a person calm the mind, relax the body, improve health, and reach a state of well being. Bridging is the primary technique that facilitates the healing process and aims to reduce the impact of negative thought patterns that contribute to stress in the body. Our feeling is that if it can help cancer patients, it should help the general public with their sleep issues as well. Definitely worth a try!