The Development Process of Sleep Quality through Mindfulness and Loving-Kindness Meditation Practice, Inspired by Buddhamahametta Foundation for the Peaceful Well-Being of Sleep Apnea Patients
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Abstract
This study investigated how a Buddhist “peaceful means” practice model can support the development of sleep quality among adults living with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a community meditation setting. Inspired by the Buddhamahametta Foundation, the study articulated an MWL framework integrating mindfulness (sati), wisdom (paññā), and loving-kindness (mettā) to strengthen emotional regulation and reduce hyperarousal relevant to sleep disruption. A sequential mixed-methods design was used. The qualitative phase involved ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants on sleep-related distress and coping. The quantitative phase assessed pre–post changes in affect using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) following an intensive, extensive hybrid intervention (a one-day intensive course plus two weeks of structured home practice with guided audio).
At baseline, frequently reported challenges were irritability/anger (45%), work-related stress (35%), and excessive thinking (20%), consistent with cognitive-emotional pathways linked to poor sleep (Harvey et al., 2008). After the intervention, mean positive affect increased by 66.08% and mean negative affect decreased by 56.00%, improving the positive-to-negative affect ratio (PA: NA) by 256.32% (0.87 to 3.10), with very large effects (Cohen’s d > 2.0). Qualitative themes converged with these gains, describing calmer reactivity, greater present-moment awareness, forgiveness-based reframing, and increased self-kindness—mechanisms plausibly supportive of sleep continuity and long-term OSA self-management. The MWL model appears promising as a culturally grounded, low-cost adjunct to standard care and warrants future trials that include sleep outcomes (e.g., PSQI) and respiratory indices.
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