Mindfulness—focusing on the present moment—can improve sleep, reduce stress and improve overall health. A new University of South Florida-led study helps explain why. Researchers studied 144 nurses over two weeks to see how well they could stay focused on the present and how often they fixated on negative thoughts.
The nurses completed surveys three times a day and reported their sleep quality the following morning. The findings shed light on how mindfulness relates to emotion regulation, the way people handle stressful situations , such as a setback at work. They also provide a clearer picture of how employees and employers can reduce work-related stress, said Claire Smith, the study's lead author and an assistant professor of psychology in the USF College of Arts and Sciences.
The paper is published in the journal Health Psychology . "Mindfulness is often seen as a magical cure-all for employee stress," Smith said. "The way it's often spoken about makes it seem as if staying grounded in and accepting of the present moment means you will never be stressed.
To me, it's crucial to add more nuance." That's where the study comes in by providing insight into how the connection between mindfulness and emotion regulation affects sleep quality. "We know that good sleep restores us physically and psychologically, and it keeps us happier, safer and even more ethical at work," Smith said.
"We wanted to explore which aspects of sleep are influenced by mindfulness and why." Smith's t.