anxiety

Just 5 minutes of mindfulness for mental health?     

Mindfulness meditation can have many mental health benefits.

For example, a review of 13 studies showed improvement in ADHD symptoms with mindfulness meditation (1).

41 trials show mindfulness meditation helped improve stress related outcomes such as anxiety, depression, stress, positive mood, etc. (2)

There are other studies showing benefits of mindfulness and meditation for mental health (3)

A recent study looked at the potential benefits on university students of engaging in just 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation at the beginning of a class (4).

What was the study design? (4)

  • 133 Students engaged in 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation at the beginning of class upto 3 days per week (4).
  • 13 faculty members teaching 19 different courses were trained to follow the mindfulness protocol and shared their course rosters with the researchers; they were also provided with support throughout the study (4).
  • Class sizes ranged from 7 to 430 students (4).
  • Pre- and post-test survey responses were collected from students taking courses from faculty who were trained to facilitate brief classroom-based mindfulness activities (4).

What were the results? (4)

  • Due to the program, students reported a decrease in stress and improvement in well-being as measured by Perceived Stress Scale and WHO-5 Well being scale, respectively (4).
  • 34% of students recounted the utility of mindfulness programming as most relevant in times of stress both inside and beyond class, and as useful when trying to “not become overwhelmed” and for recognizing when they needed “to take a minute to breathe.” (4)
  • 47% of students reported improved stress management outside of class (4).

What are some caveats?

  • This is a small study at 1 university and further study is needed to verify the effectiveness of a classroom based mindfulness program.
  • There are many mindfulness and mediation resources available that students can consider before or after class.
  • Not everyone might find mindfulness based programs beneficial; which could limit usability in the classroom.
  • Further study is needed before applying any 1 such program systematically on a large scale.
  • Brief classroom based wellness activities have the potential to benefit mental health. Students might be more motivated to explore such wellness activities further after learning about them in the classroom.
  • This study highlights the potential benefits of brief mindfulness activities on mental health even if it’s not every day.

What are some helpful resources for mindfulness and meditation?

By Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA

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Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.

References:

  1. Poissant, H., Mendrek, A., Talbot, N., Khoury, B., & Nolan, J. (2019). Behavioral and Cognitive Impacts of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review. Behavioural neurology, 2019, 5682050. doi:10.1155/2019/5682050
  2. Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EMS, et al. Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-Being [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2014 Jan. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No. 124.)Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK180102/
  3. Patel R. Mental Health For College Students  https://a.co/d/iXhbkAj
  4. JesseHonsky , Marjorie N. Edguer , Elizabeth R. Click , Suzanne Rusnak , Barbara Burgess Van Aken , Matthew A. Salerno & Kristen A. Berg (2023) Mindfulness matters in the classroom: A pilot study of a university-wide classroom-based brief mindfulness program, Journal of American College Health, DOI: 1080/07448481.2023.2237596

 

Sedentary Behavior Activity/exercise and Anxiety

Anxiety is associated with sedentary behavior, according to a review of 31 studies (1).

They defined sedentary behavior as low levels of energy expenditure (1.0 to 1.5 of metabolic equivalent of task [MET]), usually occurring while sitting, during work or leisure activities, including screen behaviors (e.g., TV watching), hobbies (e.g., reading books), lying down, in transit, or during driving a car (1,2,3).

What was the study? (1)

The study authors (1) did a systematic review and found k = 31 original studies (total N = 99,192 ) and k = 17 (total N = 27,443) in a meta-analysis.

What were the results? (1)

The authors (1) concluded that higher levels of SB are associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms.

A separate systematic review found exercise as helpful for anxiety (7).

What is a reasonable amount of activity or how much should I exercise?

The recommended exercise or activity duration according to The Department of Health and Human Services’ “Physical activity guidelines for Americans” (5, 6):

  • For moderate intensity activity, 20 to 42 minutes a day (150minutes to 300 minutes per week).
  • For vigorous intensity activity, 10 to 21 minutes a day (75 to 150 minutes a week).

What are some examples of moderate and vigorous intensity activities (exercise) ? (6)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are some precautions?

  • It may be best to check with your healthcare provider to make sure it’s safe for you’re to start an exercise program.
  • Individuals with a history of disordered eating or disordered exercise should check with their health professional before exercising.
  • It may be wise to stop exercise and seek professional help if you notice:
    • Increased depression, disordered eating, and other mental health concerns due to exercise.
    • Injury, pain, or decreased motivation
    • Obsessive behaviors
    • Other symptoms.
  • Exercise may not help without proper nutrition, so it may be wise to learn about proper nutrition and proper exercise technique, and exercise/nutrition plans, before starting to exercise.
  • It may be helpful to gradually start exercising to give yourself time to adjust to an active lifestyle.
  • It might take weeks months or longer for some people to get used to and enjoy the minimum activity guidelines.
  • Occasional weeks without exercise or light activity may be important to prevent injury.
  • Figuring out what works best for you may give you lasting benefits.

By R. Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA OSU-CCS Psychiatrist

Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.

References:

  1. Stanczykiewicz, B., Banik, A., Knoll, N. et al. Sedentary behaviors and anxiety among children, adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health 19, 459 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6715-3
  2. Tremblay MS, Colley RC, Saunders TJ, Healy GN, Owen N. Physiological and health implications of a sedentary lifestyle. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2010;35(6):725–40. https://doi.org/10.1139/h10-079.
  3. Owen N, Healy GN, Matthews CE, Dunstan DW. Too much sitting: the population health science of sedentary behavior. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2010;38(3):105–13. https://doi.org/10.1097/jes.0b013e3181e373a2.
  4. Pate RR, O’Neill JR, Lobelo F. The evolving definition of “sedentary”. Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2008;36(4):173–8. https://doi.org/10.1097/jes.0b013e3181e373a2.
  5. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
  6. https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
  7. Stonerock, Gregory L. et al. “Exercise as Treatment for Anxiety: Systematic Review and Analysis.” Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine 49.4 (2015): 542–556. PMC. Web. 9 May 2018.

 

Hidden Consequence E-cigs

By R. Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA OSU-CCS Psychiatrist

Electronic cigarettes or E-cigs, have become popular in recent years for a variety of reasons.
Some tout the tobacco free alternative as a way to lower cancer risk.  Others claim it’s less addictive and less risk of lung disease.  These claims have been investigated via long term studies.

There are also risks of much higher nicotine ingestion than traditional (tobacco based) cigarettes leading to nicotine toxicity (1).
A recent small study, by Barrington-Trimis and colleagues, suggest another unexpected consequence of e-cigarette use (2).
Who was studied?
300 students,  in the 11th or 12th grade (2).
What was the study design? (2)
  • Questionnaires were given in the 11th or 12th grade, and again after they turned 18 years old.
  • Some questions included whether they use e-cigarettes, traditional (tobacco) cigarettes, whether they  smoke tobacco based cigarettes now or intend to do so in the future.
What were the results?  (2)
  • 40% of participants who reported e-cigarette use at the beginning of the study ended up using traditional (tobacco) cigarettes by age 18, vs only 11% of students who never used e-cigarettes.
  • After adjusting for different variables,  e-cigarette users were over 5 times as likely to initiate traditional smoking as those who had never used e-cigarettes.
  • The e-cigarette users who reported having no intention of smoking traditional (tobacco) cigarettes at the beginning of the study had a 9.7 x odds ratio of using traditional cigarettes by the end of the study.
What do the results mean?
  • According to this study, smoking e-cigarettes might increase your chances of smoking tobacco based cigarettes.
  • This is concerning because of the variety of negative mental health and physical consequences of tobacco use.
  • Smoking cigarettes can increase depression and anxiety (3,4).
Is e-cigarettes worth the feelings of anxiety, depression, and tiredness? Will you feel better if you exchange it for healthier ways of living?
What are some resources regarding tobacco use?
Disclaimer: This article is intended to be informative only. It is advised that you check with your own physician/mental health provider before implementing any changes. With this article, the author is not rendering medical advice, nor diagnosing, prescribing, or treating any condition, or injury; and therefore claims no responsibility to any person or entity for any liability, loss, or injury caused directly or indirectly as a result of the use, application, or interpretation of the material presented.
References:
1. Ordonez J, Forrester MB, Kleinschmidt K. Electronic cigarette exposures reported to poison centers. Clin Toxicology 2013;51:685
2. Barrington-Trimis JL, Urman R, Berhane K, et al. E-Cigarettes and Future Cigarette Use. Pediatrics. 2016; 138(1):e20160379
3. https://u.osu.edu/emotionalfitness/2015/04/15/does-smoking-increase-anxiety-and-depression-if-i-quit-will-i-feel-better/
4. Taylor G, et al. Change in mental health after smoking cessation: systematic review and meta-analysis. OPEN ACCESS. BMJ 2014;348:g1151 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g1151 (Published 13 February 2014)