Tanaka-Kanegae Ryohei, Yamada Koji, Cook Chad M, Blonquist Traci M, Taggart Kristen D, Hamada Koichiro
Saga Nutraceuticals Research Institute, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Saga, Japan.
Otsuka Holdings Co Ltd, Tokyo, Japan.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024 Dec 10;12:e63078. doi: 10.2196/63078.
Mindfulness practices, such as breathing meditation (BM), reduce stress and enhance mood. One such practice is mindful eating, where a practitioner focuses on the five senses while eating or drinking. A novel set of prototypes has been developed, incorporating principles of mindful eating. These prototypes include matcha green tea and a mobile app that provides audio guidance for meditation during the preparation and consumption of the beverage (hereafter referred to as guided tea meditation [GTM]).
This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of GTM, evaluating meditation time, frequency, and prototype acceptability over 8 weeks, alongside changes in stress and mood. Additionally, other benefits of GTM were explored.
A comparator group was established in which participants performed traditional BM without an app or audio guide (active control). This unblinded randomized controlled trial involved 100 healthy American volunteers (n=49 GTM, n=51 BM). During the 8-week study period, participants were encouraged to perform either GTM or BM for 10 minutes daily. The meditation activity was self-reported the following day. Only the GTM group assessed the prototype acceptability. The Perceived Stress Scale-10 was used to measure stress levels, while the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale was used to evaluate mood changes. Other meditation benefits were explored using a questionnaire. All questionnaires were presented and completed via an app. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed.
No significant between-group differences were found in total meditation time (P=.15) or frequency (P=.36). However, the weekly time and frequency of the GTM group remained above 50 minutes per week and 4 days per week, respectively. Over half of the GTM participants (≥28/49, ≥57%) accepted the prototype. The GTM group exhibited significant stress reductions at weeks 4 and 8 (both P<.001), similar to the BM group. Improvements in mood metrics were observed after a single GTM session on days 1 and 56, similar to the BM group. Moreover, increases in premeditation scores for relaxed and calm from day 1 to day 56 were significantly higher for the GTM group (P=.04 and .048, respectively). The majority of participants (≥25/49, ≥51%) assigned to GTM experienced positive changes in happiness, time management, quality of life, relationships, sleep, and work performance as they continued meditating. However, no significant between-group differences were found in these exploratory outcomes (P>.08).
We believe that GTM exhibits good feasibility. Meanwhile, GTM reduced stress, improved mood, and let the practitioners feel other benefits, similar to BM. Long-term practitioners of GTM may even feel more relaxed and calmer in the state of premeditation than those who practice BM.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05832645; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05832645.
正念练习，如呼吸冥想（BM），可减轻压力并改善情绪。正念饮食就是这样一种练习，练习者在进食或饮水时专注于五种感官。现已开发出一套新颖的原型产品，融入了正念饮食的原则。这些原型产品包括抹茶绿茶和一款移动应用程序，该应用程序在冲泡和饮用该饮品期间提供冥想的音频指导（以下简称引导式茶饮冥想[GTM]）。
本研究评估了GTM的可行性和有效性，在8周内评估冥想时间、频率和原型产品的可接受性，同时评估压力和情绪的变化。此外，还探索了GTM的其他益处。
设立了一个对照组，参与者进行无应用程序或音频指导的传统BM（活性对照）。这项非盲随机对照试验涉及100名健康的美国志愿者（GTM组n = 49，BM组n = 51）。在为期8周的研究期间，鼓励参与者每天进行10分钟的GTM或BM。冥想活动于次日进行自我报告。只有GTM组评估了原型产品的可接受性。使用感知压力量表-10来测量压力水平，同时使用二维情绪量表来评估情绪变化。使用问卷探索其他冥想益处。所有问卷均通过应用程序呈现和完成。进行了意向性分析。
总冥想时间（P = 0.15）或频率（P = 0.36）在组间未发现显著差异。然而，GTM组的每周时间和频率分别保持在每周50分钟以上和每周4天以上。超过一半的GTM参与者（≥28/49，≥57%）接受了该原型产品。GTM组在第4周和第8周时压力显著降低（均P < 0.），与BM组相似。在第1天和第56天进行单次GTM训练后，情绪指标有所改善，与BM组相似。此外，GTM组从第1天到第56天放松和平静的冥想前得分增加显著更高（分别为P = 0.04和0.048）。大多数分配到GTM组的参与者（≥25/49，≥51%）在持续冥想时，在幸福感、时间管理、生活质量、人际关系、睡眠和工作表现方面经历了积极变化。然而，在这些探索性结果中未发现组间显著差异（P > 0.08）。
我们认为GTM具有良好的可行性。同时，GTM减轻了压力，改善了情绪，并让练习者感受到了其他益处，与BM相似。长期进行GTM练习的人在冥想状态下甚至可能比进行BM的人感觉更放松、更平静。
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05832645；https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05832645
