Mindfulness meditation interventions of varying lengths on women's anxiety levels

Abstract

Objectives: Meditation enhances mental health and helps manage stress and anxiety. Regular meditation sessions can increase tranquility, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. However, the optimal duration for mindfulness meditation needs further investigation. This study examined the impact of a 5-stage mindfulness meditation program, administered for varying durations, on anxiety levels in women without psychiatric diagnoses. Methods: Twenty-five volunteer participants were enrolled and divided into three groups: two experimental groups, which engaged in mindfulness meditation for either 10 minutes or 20 minutes, and a control group that did not meditate. The meditation sessions were conducted over an 8-week period using both a licensed trainer and recorded guidance. Various measures were administered to all groups to assess the outcomes. Results: Both 10-minute and 20-minute meditation interventions were effective compared to pre-intervention. While post-intervention anxiety scores did not significantly differ between the 10-minute and 20-minute groups, both experimental groups exhibited significantly reduced anxiety levels compared to the control group. Similarly, perceived stress scores showed significant reductions in both meditation groups compared to the control group, with no significant differences between the 10-minute and 20-minute groups. Mindfulness scores and intolerance of uncertainty scores did not significantly differ between the meditation groups and the control group post-meditation. Conclusion: This research is expected to contribute to the understanding of the varying effects of different time durations of 5-stage mindfulness meditation on stress-induced anxiety in women. The findings could lead to more accessible and practical mental health interventions, especially for women with limited time and resources.