Key result
Tablet-based mindful breathing decreases LF/HF ratios during sleep, suggesting suppressed sympathetic activity.
Why the study?
Sleep problems remain unresolved among university students, prompting the need to verify the effectiveness of mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device.
Does mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device improve autonomic nervous system function during sleep in nursing students?
RCT (n=18)
randomly assigned
Does mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device improve autonomic nervous system function during sleep in nursing students?
Mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device may suppress sympathetic activity during sleep, as indicated by decreasing LF values and LF/HF ratios.
Supports tablet-based mindful breathing to suppress sympathetic activity during sleep in nursing students; extends RCT evidence on autonomic effects of mindfulness.
BACKGROUND One issue to be considered in universities is the need for interventions to improve sleep quality and educational systems for university students. However, sleep problems remain unresolved. As a clinical practice technique, a mindfulness-based stress reduction method can help students develop mindfulness skills to cope with stress, self-healing skills, and sleep. OBJECTIVE We aim to verify the effectiveness of mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device. METHODS In total, 18 nursing students, aged 18-22 years, were randomly assigned and divided equally into mindfulness (Mi) and nonmindfulness (nMi) implementation groups using tablet devices. During the 9-day experimental period, cardiac potentials were measured on days 1, 5, and 9. In each sleep stage (sleep with sympathetic nerve dominance, shallow sleep with parasympathetic nerve dominance, and deep sleep with parasympathetic nerve dominance), low frequency (LF) value, high frequency (HF) value, and LF/HF ratios obtained from the cardiac potentials were evaluated. RESULTS On day 5, a significant correlation was observed between sleep duration and each sleep stage in both groups. In comparison to each experimental day, the LF and LF/HF ratios of the Mi group were significantly higher on day 1 than on days 5 and 10. LF and HF values in the nMi group were significantly higher on day 1 than on day 5. CONCLUSIONS The correlation between sleep duration and each sleep stage on day 5 suggested that sleep homeostasis in both groups was activated on day 5, resulting in similar changes in sleep stages. During the experimental period, the cardiac potentials in the nMi group showed a wide range of fluctuations, whereas the LF values and LF/HF ratio in the Mi group showed a decreasing trend over time. This finding suggests that implementing mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device may suppress sympathetic activity during sleep. CLINICALTRIAL UMIN-CTR Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000054639; https://tinyurl.com/mu2vdrks
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Togo et al. (2024) conducted an RCT in sleep problems (n=18). Mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device vs. Nonmindfulness (nMi) was evaluated on Low frequency (LF) value, high frequency (HF) value, and LF/HF ratios during sleep stages. Mindful breathing exercises using a tablet device decreased LF values and LF/HF ratios over time, suggesting suppression of sympathetic activity during sleep.