The impact of mindfulness training on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, subjective sleep quality, and objective sleep outcomes in police officers.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Sleep disturbances cooccur with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are often correlated with PTSD severity. Previous research has shown that sleep problems mediate the relationship between PTSD and negative physical and mental health outcomes but has relied on self-reported sleep quality. We tested the effects of mindfulness training-previously shown to improve sleep quality and reduce PTSD symptoms-on subjective and objective sleep metrics and relationships with reduced PTSD symptoms.

Method

Following baseline data collection in 114 law enforcement officers, we randomly assigned participants to either an 8-week mindfulness training group or a waitlist control group. We repeated assessments immediately posttraining and at 3-month follow-up. Self-reported PTSD symptoms and subjective sleep quality were measured at each visit with the PTSD checklist and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Participants also wore a Fitbit Charge 2 continuously over the course of a 4- to 6-day work week following each visit, from which we extracted two distinct objective sleep metrics: total minutes of sleep and sleep efficiency.

Results

At baseline, PTSD symptoms were correlated with PSQI scores but not objective Fitbit metrics. Relative to waitlist, mindfulness training led to improved subjective sleep quality and reduced PTSD symptoms. Reduced PTSD symptoms mediated the improvement in subjective sleep quality following mindfulness training. Neither objective sleep metric demonstrated improvements following mindfulness training, nor did these metrics mediate reduced PTSD symptoms.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence linking improved subjective sleep quality, but not objective sleep markers, to reductions in PTSD symptoms following mindfulness training. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

SUBMITTER: Imhoff-Smith TP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10902185 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature