En jämförelse av hälsoeffekter vid kort daglig träning i medveten närvaro och tillämpad avslappning: En randomiserad och replikerad studie

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this randomized and replicated study was to investigate the health effects of 15 minutes of daily training in mindfulness or applied relaxation. The health effects were measured by scales that assess mindfulness, health, positive and negative affects, life satisfaction and psychological wellbeing. The training period was 30 days and 234 persons participated in three randomly assigned groups. Without theoretical introduction, the groups either performed exercises focusing on using attention deliberately and non-judgingly in the present moment, alternatively practiced relaxation and breathing techniques. There was also a control group without intervention. The study found that both techniques equally increased experienced mindfulness, particularly for individuals with greater health problems. The study also showed non-significant health effects for both techniques with regard to decreased negative affects and increased health, life satisfaction and wellbeing. Only mindfulness increased positive affects non-significantly and had slightly larger non-significant effects on negative affects and wellbeing, while applied relaxation showed a slightly larger non-significant effect on life satisfaction. The control group experienced non-significant decreases in health on all scales. The study therefore indicates that the techniques could have partially overlapping health benefits, although mindfulness might have slightly more and larger effects on wellbeing. The study did not find a convincing connection between training time and health.