Is mindfulness associated with insomnia after menopause?

Mindfulness has been defined as being intentionally aware of internal and external experiences that occur at the present moment, without judgment. Techniques that develop mindfulness, such as meditation, have positive effects on reducing insomnia, a sleep disorder that is common both during and after menopause. Our aim was to establish whether postmenopausal women with insomnia are less mindful than postmenopausal women without sleep disorders.

Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 years who did not use hormone therapy were recruited for the study. The sample included 14 women with insomnia and 12 women without insomnia or any other sleep disorder. The groups were comparable in age, schooling, and anxiety level. To assess mindfulness, we used the validated Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and the attentiveness domain of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Expanded Form.

Participants with insomnia were less mindful than healthy women. The level of mindfulness was able to discriminate the group with insomnia from the healthy group, with 71.4% accuracy.

Postmenopausal women with insomnia are less mindful than women without insomnia. Mindfulness-based interventions, such as meditation, may be beneficial for postmenopausal insomnia.