Understanding the Effect of Meditation on Sleep Quality and Meaning in Life for Meditators and Non-meditators

Abstract

Background: Meditation is an age-long spiritual practice known for its inherent ability to bring balance to one’s life. Its effectiveness and utility span across varied dimensions of our lives like physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, social, etc. Purpose: Earlier studies have shown how meditation has acted as a buffer against stress and has improved the overall quality of life. This study extends this idea and focuses on two aspects of subjective well-being- sleep quality and meaning in life. Hence, the present study aims to understand how practicing meditation impacts our sleep quality and the presence/search of meaning in life for meditators and non-meditators. Method: It’s a quantitative comparative study, and the participants are two groups (Meditators; n = 49 and Non-Meditators; n = 49) comprising both men and women (18-60 years). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire were used to measure the respondents’ sleep quality and meaning in life (measured on two parameters- the presence of and search for meaning in life) through purposive sampling. A few qualitative questions were further employed to understand the group’s level of participation with meditation. Result: The results suggests that meditators had a better sleep quality, found more meaning in life, and also searched for more meaning in life than non-meditators.  Conclusion: This study presents considerable implications for the field of spirituality, positive and health psychology for enhancing the overall quality of life and well-being. It also holds importance from a clinical stance, as meditation can be used as a therapeutic tool for treating sleep disorders/problems and depression.