18-month meditation training and sleep in cognitively unimpaired older adults
In a randomized trial with 120 cognitively unimpaired adults aged 65 or older, 18 months of meditation training was linked to easier morning awakening than passive control only; no other sleep measure differed. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Aging is associated with increased sleep complaints and changes in sleep architecture, microstructure and rest-activity rhythms. [1]
120 cognitively unimpaired adults aged 65 or older with minimal sleep complaint were randomly assigned to meditation training, non-native language training (active control) or passive control. [1]
Compared to the passive control group only, meditation training was associated with greater ease of morning awakening (p=0.04); no other sleep parameter showed significant intervention effects. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (abstract).
- Population / context
- 120 cognitively unimpaired older adults aged 65 or older with minimal sleep complaint.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Publication status
- Preprint · peer-review status not confirmed
- Original publication
- October 2, 2026
Sleep complaints and meditation in older adults
The abstract notes that aging is associated with more sleep complaints and changes in sleep architecture, microstructure and rest-activity rhythms. Meditation-based interventions have shown benefits on subjective sleep quality, but effects on objective sleep parameters remain largely underexplored. The study therefore examined an 18-month meditation intervention on sleep, combining questionnaires with polysomnography and actigraphy in older adults.
Supporting source [1]
Three groups, questionnaires and in-home sleep recordings
120 cognitively unimpaired adults aged 65 or older with minimal sleep complaint completed questionnaires, one week of actigraphy and in-home polysomnography at baseline and again 18 months later. After baseline, participants were randomly assigned to meditation training, non-native language training (active control) or passive control. Mixed-effects models examined group-by-visit interactions for questionnaires, actigraphy metrics, sleep architecture and microstructure, including slow waves, spindles and spectral power.
Supporting source [1]
Only easier morning awakening versus passive control
Compared with the passive control group only, meditation training was associated with greater ease of morning awakening (p=0.04). No significant intervention effects appeared for any other sleep parameter, including actigraphy- and polysomnography-derived measures. Results were unchanged after adjustment for depressive symptoms and trait anxiety. The authors conclude that effects on self-reported sleep may be subtle in this healthy older population, with no effects detected on objective sleep measures.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The sample was cognitively unimpaired, aged 65 or older and had minimal sleep complaints, so findings may not apply to people with clinically meaningful sleep disturbances. The single significant result was versus passive control only.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Champetier P, Hamel A, Rehel S, Bertran F, Hebert O, Delarue M, Chetelat G, Lutz A, Mary A, Rauchs G, the Medit-Ageing Research Group. · europepmc.org · October 2, 2026