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Using Mindfulness for the Treatment of Insomnia

  • Behavioral Therapy (J Edinger, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of review

The goal of this review is to provide an update on the use of mindfulness meditation for the treatment of insomnia, including conceptual models and empirical evidence from randomized controlled trials.

Recent findings

A metacognitive model of insomnia has been proposed as a conceptual model to explain the application of mindfulness principles for reducing insomnia-related arousal. Furthermore, the evidence base for mindfulness-based therapies has grown with the results of several randomized controlled trials published in the past 3 years. Treatment effects appear to be strongest on self-report measures compared to objective measures of sleep.

Summary

Treatment programs featuring mindfulness meditation appear to be viable treatment options for people with insomnia. Further research is needed to determine who is likely to benefit from mindfulness-based therapies and how these interventions work. Additionally, further work is needed to resolve issues related to the delivery and implementation of mindfulness-based therapies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 North Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Jason C. Ong & Christine E. Smith

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  1. Jason C. Ong
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Correspondence to Jason C. Ong.

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Conflict of Interest

Jason C. Ong receives royalties for a book published by the American Psychological Association. Christine E. Smith declares no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Behavioral Therapy

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Ong, J.C., Smith, C.E. Using Mindfulness for the Treatment of Insomnia. Curr Sleep Medicine Rep 3, 57–65 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-017-0068-1

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