The following is a summary of “A pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled study of mindfulness meditation in treating insomnia in multiple sclerosis,” published in the July 2023 issue of Neurology by Guarnaccia et al.

Researchers performed a cohort study where persons with multiple sclerosis (PWMS) benefit from an established approach to reduce stress reactivity through mindfulness training, enhancing sleep efficiency and quality of life (QoL).

They randomized 53 participants 1:1 to a 10-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Intervention for Insomnia (MBSI-I) or 1-hour sleep hygiene (SH) session. The study used a single-blinded, parallel-group design which sleep efficiency (SE) using the Fitbit™ Charge 2 at 10 and 16 weeks. Self-report outcomes included Pittsburg Sleep Quality Rating Scale (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life Inventory (MSQLI). A sum of 19 MBSI-I participants and 24 SH participants completed the study. Additionally, 10 original SH participants joined the 10-week MSBI-I course, contributing to the eMSBI-I cohort.

The results showed no significant differences in SE or PSQI between MBSI-I, eMBSI-I, and SH groups. ISI improved in MSBI-I and eMBSI-I groups at 10 and 16 weeks (P= 0.0014 and P= 0.0275), while SH significantly improved at 16 weeks. The mindfulness cohorts showed better measurements.

They concluded that the study shows Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) improves insomnia, sleep quality, and (QoL) in PWMS.

Source: bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12883-023-03309-0