Effects of Meditation versus Music Listening on Perceived Stress, Mood, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Adults with Early Memory Loss: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Innes, Kim E.^{a; b; *} | Selfe, Terry Kit^{a; b} | Khalsa, Dharma Singh^c | Kandati, Sahiti^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University School of Public Health, Morgantown, WV, USA | [b] Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA, USA | [c] Department of Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM and the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, Tucson, AZ, USA

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Kim E. Innes, MSPH, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, WVU School of Public Health, PO Box 9190, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. Tel.: +1 304 293 5206; Fax: +1 304 293 2700; E-mail: KInnes@hsc.wvu.edu.

Abstract: Background: Older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) are at increased risk not only for Alzheimer’s disease, but for poor mental health, impaired sleep, and diminished quality of life (QOL), which in turn, contribute to further cognitive decline, highlighting the need for early intervention. Objective: In this randomized controlled trial, we assessed the effects of two 12-week relaxation programs, Kirtan Kriya Meditation (KK) and music listening (ML), on perceived stress, sleep, mood, and health-related QOL in older adults with SCD. Methods: Sixty community-dwelling older adults with SCD were randomized to a KK or ML program and asked to practice 12 minutes daily for 12 weeks, then at their discretion for the following 3 months. At baseline, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks, perceived stress, mood, psychological well-being, sleep quality, and health-related QOL were measured using well-validated instruments. Results: Fifty-three participants (88%) completed the 6-month study. Participants in both groups showed significant improvement at 12 weeks in psychological well-being and in multiple domains of mood and sleep quality (p’s≤0.05). Relative to ML, those assigned to KK showed greater gains in perceived stress, mood, psychological well-being, and QOL-Mental Health (p’s≤0.09). Observed gains were sustained or improved at 6 months, with both groups showing marked and significant improvement in all outcomes. Changes were unrelated to treatment expectancies. Conclusions: Findings suggest that practice of a simple meditation or ML program may improve stress, mood, well-being, sleep, and QOL in adults with SCD, with benefits sustained at 6 months and gains that were particularly pronounced in the KK group.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, memory complaints, mind-body therapy, mood, quality of life, sleep, stress, subjective, cognitive impairment

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-151106

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 52, no. 4, pp. 1277-1298, 2016