Trait Mindfulness Protects Against the Harmful Effects of Nocturnal Cognitive Arousal on Insomnia and Depression Symptoms in Pregnancy and Postpartum

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

5-19-2025

Publication Title

Sleep

Abstract

Introduction: Perinatal women are highly vulnerable to insom nia and depression. High cognitive arousal (e.g., worry, rumi nation) at night is a key risk factor for developing insomnia and depression during this period. However, mindfulness skills have been proposed to reduce risk for negative health outcomes by protecting individuals against the harmful effects of cognitive arousal. This prospective study tested whether trait mindfulness protects perinatal women against the harmful effects nocturnal cognitive arousal on insomnia and depression. Methods: Nine women (Age: 29.9±4.4y; Gestation at enroll ment: 26.7±1.0w) completed weekly health surveys for 4 months across late pregnancy and early postpartum. Study outcomes included the revised cognitive and affective mindfulness scale (CAMS-R), pre-sleep arousal scale’s cognitive factor (PSASC), insomnia severity index (ISI), and Edinburgh postnatal depres sion scale (EPDS). Linear mixed modeling was used to account for repeated measures and to test trait effects (between-person differences) and state effects (within-person changes) while con trolling for relevant covariates. Results: Lagged linear mixed modeling showed that women with high trait mindfulness reported lower levels of ISI (b=- 5.37, p=.032) and EPDS (b=-14.25, p<.001) across the next four months. However, within-person analyses showed higher state PSASC predicted higher levels of next-week ISI (b=1.95, p.030) and EPDS (b=1.28, p=.047). Mixed modeling also revealed significant moderation effects for CAMS-R*PSASC on future ISI (b=.01, p<.001) and EPDS (b=.002, p=.012) such that the magnitude of PSASC’s effects on ISI and EPDS were smaller for women with high trait mindfulness. Indeed, insom nia- and depression-risk were lowest when women endorsed high CAMS-R and low PSASC (3.9% insomnia, 9.8% depression), whereas disease-risk was highest when women endorsed low CAMS-R and high PSASC (62.2% insomnia, 83.8% depression). Conclusion: Perinatal women with high trait mindfulness are protected against the harmful effects of high cognitive arousal on insomnia and depression, whereas women with low mindful ness are at higher risk for insomnia and depression when expe riencing high cognitive arousal. These prospective data support trait mindfulness as a critical protective factor against the devel opment of insomnia and depression during pregnancy and post partum. Interventions promoting mindfulness skills may help expecting moms sleep and feel better.

Volume

48

First Page

A246

Find It @ Sladen

Share

COinS