Self-Reported Mindfulness and Cortisol During a Shamatha Meditation Retreat (original) (raw)
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Self-reported Mindfulness and Cortisol Dynamics During a Shamatha Meditation Retreat
Objective: Mindfulness-based meditation training can increase self-reported mindfulness and affect cortisol secretion. However, there are no reports linking these two variables directly. We examined whether they were related during concentrative meditation training. Methods: We measured self-reported mindfulness and cortisol near the beginning and end of a 3-month, intensive meditation retreat (N = 57). Cortisol measures included PM cortisol and the cortisol awakening response, assessed as both the absolute rise and the day-to-day variability of this rise across 3 consecutive days. Results: Mindfulness significantly increased from pre- to post-retreat, F(1,56) = -6.02, p < .001. Measures of cortisol did not significantly change. However, mindfulness was significantly, inversely related to PM cortisol at pre-retreat, r(53) = -.31, p < .05, and post-retreat, r(53) = -.30, p < .05, controlling for age and BMI. Pre / post change in mindfulness were significantly associated with...
Mindfulness, Depression, & Cortisol: A New Indicator?
This paper explores the possibility of cortisol becoming a new measure to test mindfulness program's relief of illnesses such as depression. The paper also proposes experiments that could benefit low cost relief from depression or other illnesses symptomatic of cortisol imbalance.
Background: Meditation training can increase mindfulness and alter the experience of negative emotion. Sadness can increase cortisol release. We examined whether self-reported mindfulness buffered separation-related sadness-induced cortisol release and affected the cortisol awakening response. Methods: 59 participants completed a 3-month meditation retreat. Mindfulness was measured at baseline and post-intervention. Mood and cortisol were concomitantly assessed for 3 consecutive days at 3 points (baseline, mid, and post-intervention). Cortisol measures included both the magnitude and day-to-day variability of the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and average cortisol, excluding awakening responses (PM). Results: Self-reported mindfulness significantly increased from pre- to post-intervention, particularly among those who practiced more mindfulness of breathing. Although in general negative affect significantly decreased from pre- to post-intervention, sadness did not change, probabl...
Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2007
Background: Although mindfulness meditation interventions have recently shown benefits for reducing stress in various populations, little is known about their relative efficacy compared with relaxation interventions.Purpose: This randomized controlled trial examines the effects of a 1-month mindfulness meditation versus somatic relaxation training as compared to a control group in 83 students (M age=25; 16 men and 67 women) reporting distress.Method: Psychological distress, positive states of mind, distractive and ruminative thoughts and behaviors, and spiritual experience were measured, while controlling for social desirability.Results: Hierarchical linear modeling reveals that both meditation and relaxation groups experienced significant decreases in distress as well as increases in positive mood states over time, compared with the control group (p<.05 in all cases). There were no significant differences between meditation and relaxation on distress and positive mood states over time. Effect sizes for distress were large for both meditation and relaxation (Cohen’s d=1.36 and .91, respectively), whereas the meditation group showed a larger effect size for positive states of mind than relaxation (Cohen’s d=.71 and .25, respectively). The meditation group also demonstrated significant pre-post decreases in both distractive and ruminative thoughts/behaviors compared with the control group (p<.04 in all cases; Cohen’s d=.57 for rumination and .25 for distraction for the meditation group), with mediation models suggesting that mindfulness meditation’s effects on reducing distress were partially mediated by reducing rumination. No significant effects were found for spiritual experience.Conclusions: The data suggest that compared with a no-treatment control, brief training in mindfulness meditation or somatic relaxation reduces distress and improves positive mood states. However, mindfulness meditation may be specific in its ability to reduce distractive and ruminative thoughts and behaviors, and this ability may provide a unique mechanism by which mindfulness meditation reduces distress.