Mindfulness Program to Improve Stress, Depression, and Sleep in Medical Staff and Older Adults Using Advanced Monitoring Techniques

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how mindfulness-based interventions can help reduce stress, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances in healthcare staff and older adults. The study focuses on groups that have been less studied, aiming to improve mental health, self-awareness, and psychological well-being in these populations. The project also aligns with Taiwans goals for social support and long-term care in aging societies. Participants will join two mindfulness intervention sessions, each lasting four months. The main treatment is an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR program involving weekly 2.5-hour sessions, daily home practice, and a full-day silent retreat. Certified instructors guide meditation, yoga, and gratitude practices. This approach uses tools like non-invasive fiber optic monitoring, Garmin smartwatches, and functional MRI scans to study changes in brain and body functions. During the study, participants will complete questionnaires on depression, sleep quality, and well-being before and after interventions. Sleep assessments include polysomnography and Belun Ring monitoring. Continuous physiological data will be collected with wearable devices. The study involves 40 participants and includes assessments within one month before and after the mindfulness courses, aiming to understand how mindfulness affects mental health and sleep in medical staff and elderly adults over the study period.

Neurobiological Investigations of Mindfulness, Depression and Sleep Disturbances in Medical Staffs and Community Elders