Sumińska Sylwia, Rynkiewicz Andrzej
Department of Ergonomics, Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Faculty of Psychology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
PLoS One. 2025 Apr 23;20(4):e0322413. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0322413. eCollection 2025.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) helps counteract the negative consequences of stress. An essential aspect of mind-body therapies is learning to be mindful of emotional reactions and bodily sensations, a process defined as interoceptive awareness. This awareness can also be enhanced by providing physiological feedback from a smartwatch. However, the impact of using smartwatch-generated physiological signals during mindfulness training has not been studied yet. The study aims at verifying, whether physiological signals from a smartwatch would support the MBSR.
We conducted a mixed-design randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of MBSR training, with and without monitoring physiological signals via a smartwatch, on mental functioning parameters, with measurements taken at baseline and after 8 weeks. Participants were classified into three groups (N = 72): the MBSR group, the MBSR + smartwatch group, and the control group. Between measurement sessions, two groups of participants were engaged in MBSR training, while the third group did not participate in any training.
Results showed a significant reduction in subjectively perceived stress levels, eating disorder symptoms, and intrusive ruminations in both groups participating in MBSR, compared to the control group. However, a notable difference emerged between the two MBSR groups: in the group with smartwatches, a significant increase in mindfulness was observed. In contrast, in the MBSR group without smartwatches, there was a significant decrease across multiple stress-related components, including: anxiety, cognitive impairment, addictions, sleep disorders symptoms, behaviors indicating lack of entertainment, and poor functioning.
The results suggest that supplementing MBSR with monitoring interoceptive signals by a smartwatch enhances mindfulness, and maintains the effect of stress and eating disorders symptoms reduction but does not decrease anxiety nor improve general mental functioning. This imposes the need for further research to investigate mechanisms involved when observing interoceptive signals by a smartwatch.
基于正念的减压疗法（MBSR）有助于抵消压力带来的负面影响。身心疗法的一个重要方面是学会留意情绪反应和身体感觉，这一过程被定义为内感受性觉知。通过智能手表提供生理反馈也可以增强这种觉知。然而，在正念训练期间使用智能手表生成的生理信号的影响尚未得到研究。本研究旨在验证智能手表的生理信号是否会对MBSR起到辅助作用。
我们进行了一项混合设计的随机对照试验，以研究MBSR训练（有无通过智能手表监测生理信号）对心理功能参数的影响，在基线和8周后进行测量。参与者被分为三组（N = 72）：MBSR组、MBSR + 智能手表组和对照组。在测量期间，两组参与者进行MBSR训练，而第三组不参与任何训练。
结果显示，与对照组相比，参与MBSR的两组主观感受到的压力水平、饮食失调症状和侵入性沉思均显著降低。然而，两个MBSR组之间出现了显著差异：在佩戴智能手表的组中，正念显著增加。相比之下，在没有智能手表的MBSR组中，多个与压力相关的成分显著下降，包括：焦虑、认知障碍、成瘾、睡眠障碍症状、缺乏娱乐的行为以及功能不良。
结果表明，通过智能手表监测内感受信号来补充MBSR可增强正念，并维持减轻压力和饮食失调症状的效果，但不会减轻焦虑，也不会改善整体心理功能。这就需要进一步研究来探究通过智能手表观察内感受信号时所涉及的机制。
