Stress Reduction and Organ Transplate Recipients

Researchers from the University of Minnesota enrolled 20 solid-organ transplant recipients in an 8-week course of mindfulness-based stress reduction training and a gentle form of hatha yoga. Subjects were also given audiotapes for home practice and maintained practice diaries to track their participation.

At 6 months data was analyzed for impact on symptom management, illness intrusion and transplant-related stressors. Significant improvements were found in the quality and duration of sleep, and on self-reported measures of anxiety and depression.

The study concluded that Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is an effective treatment in improving the quality and duration of sleep. And because sleep is highly correlated with positive mental health and overall well-being, the technique has the potential of being an effective, accessible and low-cost intervention that could significantly change transplant recipients' overall health and well-being.

Citation: Kreitzer MJ, Gross CR, Ye X, Russas V, Treesak C. Longitudinal impact of mindfulness meditation on illness burden in solid-organ transplant recipients. Progress in Transplantation . 2005 Jun; 15 (2): pages 166-72.