Mindfulness over matter all in an app
A penny for your thoughts may turn out to be well worth it, after a study from Otago University found that mindfulness apps can improve users’ mental wellbeing.
The recently released study measured the effectiveness of mindfulness apps Headspace and Smiling Mind.
Student users in a trial reported ‘‘modest improvements’’ in depressive symptoms, resilience, mindfulness, and university adjustment.
Mindfulness app user Jesse Porter, of Wellington, said the apps made him feel more in control of his emotions.
‘‘I feel calmer and less distracted.’’ Porter subscribed to an app that provided guided meditations.
He used a free trial before subscribing to the app, which cost US$95 (NZ$138) a year.
‘‘It is expensive but if you’re using it every day, it’s worth it.’’
Study author Jayde Flett said the availability of meditation apps provided new opportunities to practise mindfulness, which had been associated with mental health benefits.
‘‘Phones are often scorned as devices of distraction but they may serve as a good platform to practise being mindful given their wide use.’’
The study involved 208 university students aged 18 to 49 who were randomly assigned to use one of three apps – Headspace, Smiling Mind, or Evernote, a non-mindfulness app which acted as the control.
Participants were asked to use their assigned app for 10 minutes each day for 10 days. They then received 30 days’ access to continue practising after the trial.
Participants reported improvements to mental wellness after both the 10-day trial and the 30-day continued access period. App use was higher during the first 10 days, but dropped markedly for the following 30 days when use was optional.
The study reported this highlighted a need to investigate factors that relate to sustained app usage.
The results provided ‘‘preliminary evidence’’ that use of mobile mindfulness apps could improve some mental health outcomes in a nonclinical population. Further investigation of any longer-term effects would be needed.
Flett said mobile mindfulness apps should not replace face-to-face programmes. ‘‘Mindfulness apps represent a promising opportunity for improving mental health given their ‘light touch’, ease of use, availability, and accessibility.
‘‘But, importantly, these tools are only effective if people use them.’’
The study has been published in the journal Mindfulness.