Dispositional Mindfulness and Memory Problems: The Role of Perceived Stress and Sleep Quality.

Higher dispositional mindfulness is linked to lower perceived stress and better sleep quality, but not directly to fewer subjective memory problems. Instead, perceived stress acts as a mediator: people with higher mindfulness report less stress, which in turn is associated with fewer everyday memory complaints. Sleep quality did not mediate this relationship. The findings come from 299 adults in the Boston area assessed twice about a year apart as part of the Midlife in the United States study (MIDUS-II).

Study at a glance

Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence exploring the beneficial effects of mindfulness on stress, sleep quality, and memory, though the mechanisms involved are less certain. The present study explored the roles of perceived stress and sleep quality as potential mediators between dispositional mindfulness and subjective memory problems. Data were from a Boston area subsample of the Midlife in the United States study (MIDUS-II) assessed in 2004-2006, and again approximately one year later (N=299). As expected, higher dispositional mindfulness was associated with lower perceived stress and better sleep quality. There was no direct association found between mindfulness and subjective memory problems, however, there was a significant indirect effect through perceived stress, although not with sleep quality. The present findings suggest that perceived stress may play a mediating role between dispositional mindfulness and subjective memory problems, in that those with higher mindfulness generally report experiencing less stress than those with lower mindfulness, which may be protective of memory problems in everyday life.