Mindfulness is Associated with Better Sleep Quality in Young Adults by Reducing Boredom and Bedtime Procrastination

Self-control and bed procrastination as mediators between mindfulness and sleep quality among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

In recent years, sleep problems among college students have become increasingly prominent, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their sleep quality has deteriorated dramatically, severely affecting their physical and mental health. Numerous research studies have investigated the relationship between mindfulness and sleep quality; however, it is still unclear what psychological process underlies this relationship. In the current study, college students' bed procrastination and self-control as mediating factors in the association between mindfulness and sleep quality were investigated. Using the convenience sampling method, 763 Chinese college students (mean age = 19.48 years, SD = 2.06) were recruited to complete self-reported questionnaires that included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Self-Control Scale, Bed Procrastination Scale, and Sleep Quality Scale. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0 software. Results showed that (a) mindfulness was positively associated with sleep quality; (b) both self-control and bed procrastination mediated the relationship between mindfulness and sleep quality, and (c) self-control and bed procrastination sequentially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and sleep quality. These findings collectively suggest a potential mechanism for how mindfulness influences sleep quality, providing a therapeutic target for mindfulness-based interventions aimed at helping college students improve sleep quality.

Impact of Social Media Addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder on Sleep Quality: Serial Mediation Analyses

Poor sleep quality is a concerning and prevalent consequence of social media addiction (SMA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD). Due to the lack of research examining how SMA and IGD lead to poor sleep quality, the current study aimed to understand the relationship between SMA and sleep quality, as well as that between IGD and sleep quality, through impulse control and bedtime procrastination. The study tested the hypotheses that higher levels of SMA and IGD would predict lower levels of impulse control, which would then predict higher levels of bedtime procrastination, leading to poorer sleep quality. A serial mediation analysis was performed with a sample of 221 participants (63.3% females, 34.4% males, and 2.3% prefer not to say) aged 18 to 53 years (M = 23.64, SD = 5.72). Participants completed questionnaires that assessed for social media addiction, internet gaming disorder, impulse control factor, bedtime procrastination, and sleep quality. There was a full serial mediation of impulse control and bedtime procrastination in the relationship between SMA and sleep quality, as well as that between IGD and sleep quality, providing support for the hypotheses. The findings provide the knowledge needed to develop and implement strategies that target impulse control issues and reduce bedtime procrastination to improve sleep quality.

The association between trait mindfulness and sleep problems: A three-level meta-analysis

Trait mindfulness has shown potential in relieving the symptoms related to sleep problems, but the relationship between trait mindfulness and sleep problems varies across studies. To explore this association and obtain reliable estimates, a three-level meta-analysis was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) approach. A comprehensive literature search identified 86 studies involving 87 independent samples and 35,521 participants. A total of 441 effect sizes were analyzed. The study indicated a negative association between trait mindfulness and sleep problems. Furthermore, the meta-analysis revealed significant moderating effects of study design, mindfulness facets, and measurement for trait mindfulness on this relationship. This study suggests that trait mindfulness is closely related to the alleviation of sleep problems. Furthermore, trait mindfulness is vital important in strengthening prevention and intervention measures targeting individuals' sleep problems.

Are "night owls" or "morning larks" more likely to delay sleep due to problematic smartphone use? a cross-lagged study among undergraduates

Sleep is an important physiological process, but staying up late has become a worldwide problem, particularly among university students. Sleep procrastination has been found to associated with sleep biorhythms and problematic smartphone use ("PSU") in previous studies. This two-wave study examines the longitudinal reciprocal relationship between PSU and sleep procrastination, together with the moderating role of sleep biorhythms. Participants comprised 1,423 Chinese university students. The results revealed that PSU and sleep procrastination are reciprocally related. Additionally, sleep biorhythms moderated this relationship, as PSU at T1 significantly predicted sleep procrastination at T2 for the morning larks group but not the night owls group. Accordingly, both PSU and sleep biorhythms should be considered when developing interventions for sleep procrastination.

Effect of mindfulness-based interventions on people with prehypertension or hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Hypertension and prehypertension have been widely recognized as the main contributors of global mortality. Evidence shows mindfulness-based interventions may reduce blood pressure and improve mental health. However, the effect of mindfulness-based interventions on blood pressure and mental health has not been fully understood.

METHODS

Potential studies published before May 24th 2023 were identified by searching Embase, Ovid Emcare, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane, PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, and VIP China Science. Additionally, two grey databases were searched: Mednar, WorldWideScience.org. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool. The random-effects meta-analyses were conducted using Review Man 5.4 software and the key outcomes are presented as mean difference or standard mean difference and the 95% confidential interval.

RESULTS

Searches returned 802 studies in total, of which 12 were included (N = 715). The duration of interventions was 8 weeks in 10 trials and 6 weeks in one trial. Pooled effect sizes indicated reductions in systolic blood pressure (MD = - 9.12, 95% CI [- 12.18, - 6.05], p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (MD = - 5.66, 95% CI [- 8.88, - 2.43], p < 0.001), anxiety (SMD = - 4.10; 95% CI [- 6.49, - 1.71], p < 0.001), depression (SMD = - 1.70, 95%CI [- 2.95, - 0.44], p < 0.001) and perceived stress (SMD = - 5.91, 95%CI [- 8.74, - 3.09], p < 0.001) at post-intervention. The findings from subgroup analyses are favorable for mindfulness-based interventions regardless of gender and baseline blood pressure with regard to BP reduction, with a more profound effect observed in participants with higher pre-intervention blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

The results provide evidence for the positive role of mindfulness-based interventions in hypertension management. More large randomized control trials with sufficient statistical power and long-term follow-up are needed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The protocol had been registered with Prospero on October 2nd 2021 (registration NO. CRD42021282504 ).

Mindfulness, Subjective Cognitive Functioning, Sleep Timing and Time Expansion during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study in Italy

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a distortion of time passage has been widely reported in association with a change in daily rhythm. However, several variables related to these changes have not been considered. The purpose of the present study was to assess the changes in dispositional mindfulness, time experience, sleep timing and subjective memory functioning. A longitudinal study was conducted on 39 Italian adults (53.85% males; 35.03 ± 14.02 years) assessing mindfulness, ad hoc questions of sleep habits during workdays and free days, chronotypes, subjective time experience, and memory functioning before (December 2019-March 2020) and during (April 2020-May 2020) the first Italian COVID-19 lockdown. Participants reported delayed sleep timing, a slowdown in the perception of the present time, a decrease of time pressure, and an increase in the feeling of time expansion/boredom. In addition to correlations between mindfulness, memory functioning, and subjective sleep duration during workdays, a mediation model showed that changes in the dispositional mindfulness determined a delay of bedtime during workdays through the mediation effect of increased feeling of time expansion/boredom. This finding highlighted the role of mindfulness in reducing the feeling of time expansion/boredom for regulating the sleep timing. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Boredom Proneness on Chinese College Students' Phubbing during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Mediating Effects of Self-Control and Bedtime Procrastination

Objective

To analyze the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students and examine how self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate this relationship during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

A total of 707 Chinese college students were voluntarily surveyed. They completed the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP), Short Boredom Proneness Scale (SBPS), Bedtime Procrastination Scale (BPS), and Self-Control Scale (SCS).

Results

(1) The results revealed that men scored higher on boredom than women. (2) The analysis revealed significant associations between each of the variables. Boredom proneness was positively correlated with bedtime procrastination (r = 0.318; P < 0.001) and phubbing (r = 0.418; P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with self-control (r = -0.518; P < 0.001). (3) Mediation analysis suggested that self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the relationship between boredom proneness and phubbing (effect of self-control = 0.094, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.062∼0.128]; effect of bedtime procrastination = 0.025, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.011∼0.042]; and effect of self-control and bedtime procrastination = 0.032, P < 0.001, 95% CI [0.020∼0.046]).

Conclusion

Self-control and bedtime procrastination mediate the association between boredom proneness and phubbing among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.