Mindfulness Improves Awareness and Cortisol Levels During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Randomised Controlled Trial in
Anna Panzeri1, Ornella Bettinardi2, Fabio Giommi3
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, 35100 Padua, Italy.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 16, 2025
Summary
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) effectively lowered stress markers and improved focus in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. While some outcomes showed promise, further research is needed for broader benefits.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Professionals
- Occupational Health
- Psychological Interventions
Background:
- COVID-19 pandemic caused extreme work-related stress for healthcare professionals (HCPs).
- This stress negatively impacted HCPs' mental health, job satisfaction, and patient care.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) offers a potential mitigation strategy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of an 8-week MBSR intervention on stress-related outcomes in HCPs.
- To compare MBSR effects against a control group.
- To assess physiological and psychological stress markers.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial (RCT) design.
- 8-week MBSR intervention.
- Assessment of cortisol levels, perceived stress, attention, awareness, emotional fatigue, and job strain.
Main Results:
- MBSR significantly reduced cortisol levels short-term and improved attention/awareness with sustained benefits.
- Medium to large effect sizes for job strain and emotional fatigue, but not statistically significant.
- Perceived stress showed negligible changes; variability highlights need for personalized mindfulness approaches.
Conclusions:
- MBSR shows promise for improving attention and reducing physiological stress in HCPs during pandemics.
- Effects on other occupational outcomes require further investigation.
- Longer MBSR interventions may be necessary to maximize benefits in healthcare settings.
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