Can a meditation app help my sleep?

The utilization of mindfulness mobile applications has gained popularity, however, limited information exists regarding their actual impact on sleep quality and mental well-being. To address this knowledge gap, a research study, published in the Plos One journal, set out to survey subscribers of Calm- a prominent mindfulness meditation app. The study aimed to explore the perceived enhancements in sleep and mental health among users and find out whether these improvements varied based on individual sleep quality. Notably, the Calm app has introduced a unique feature known as Sleep Stories, which suggests narrated fictional stories with mindfulness-inspired techniques, such as breath-focused meditation and sensory meditations. The study sample included a group of 9,907 participants. Among this group, the most commonly reported areas of sleep disturbance were difficulties with falling asleep (65.5%), maintaining sleep (48.5%), and obtaining restful sleep (42.0%). Considering the prevalent sleep concerns among the recruited population, it is unsurprising that nearly half of the participants acknowledged the presence of at least one mental health condition- an anxiety (30%) or depression (27%). The research findings offer preliminary evidence supporting the potential efficacy of the Calm app in addressing the unmet needs for effective, efficient, safe, and convenient sleep. However, it is important to note that while certain sleep-related content may prove beneficial, further research is needed to prove the benefit of specific content elements on mental health outcomes.