Mindfulness Meditation for Sleep and Anxiety Post Acquired Brain Injury: Pilot Study

Abstract

Quality sleep is essential for recovery from acquired brain injury (ABI); however, there is limited research in the field that examines sleep within this population. This study aims to investigate the effect of an eight-session telehealth mindfulness meditation program on sleep quality and anxiety in adults with ABI. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while anxiety was measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety Short Form. A one-group pretest-posttest design was employed, involving 11 participants in this pilot study. Most participants were female (81.1%), with a mean age of 30.91 years (± 16.60 years). The results demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.05) in PSQI sleep efficiency, overall sleep quality, and PROMIS anxiety scores. The telehealth mindfulness meditation program showed promising results and has the potential to be implemented as an intervention to address sleep and anxiety. These preliminary findings support the need for further investigation into sleep and anxiety using mindfulness meditation in this population.