Study: Mindfulness helps people with COPD manage anxiety, breathlessness, insomnia

BUFFALO, N.Y. – University at Buffalo School of Nursing researchers have identified a new benefit of mindfulness for people managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition commonly known as COPD.

The study, “Associations Between Mindfulness and Symptom Severity among Adults Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD),” was published in the December 2024 issue of Heart & Lung: The Journal of Cardiopulmonary and Acute Care.

Led by Tania T. Von Visger, PhD, and Yu-Ping Chang, PhD, the study surveyed 339 adults with COPD. Participants who practice mindfulness reported significantly less severe symptoms of anxiety, breathlessness, fatigue and insomnia.

Also, a substantially lower anxiety score was found for participants who practice mindfulness, but not for those who only know about mindfulness, emphasizing the importance of applying mindfulness in daily activities.

“The structured practice of mindfulness,” says Von Visger, “such as Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), has demonstrated effectiveness during the past decades based on the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, testing it among patients with unresolved chronic pain in Boston.

“It is important to note that the idea of creating MBSR originated from Buddhist traditions outside the American culture, and the actual practice of mindfulness has been in existence in other cultures, such as tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and drum circle, to name a few.”

Von Visger defined mindfulness as “the recognition and awareness of thoughts, emotions and physical body sensation in the present moment with clarity and without judgment.”

Von Visger and Chang's study also conclusively showed mindfulness-based interventions or MBIs, can help people with COPD manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

“What we found in this survey is essential because it confirms what we already understand about mindfulness benefits, as demonstrated in clinical studies across chronic conditions,” says Von Visger.

The study also revealed demographic variations in mindfulness practice, such as variations in depression level, age and education, but not in gender or disease severity. These findings suggest that incorporating mindfulness into COPD care could be beneficial. Understanding different mindfulness levels can help tailor MBIs to ensure they are effective, acceptable and sustainable for individuals with COPD, potentially improving symptom management and overall well-being.

“Mindfulness is associated with better symptom management and improved health-related quality of life,” says Von Visger. “The challenge is how to introduce the practice to those who have never experienced it, support those who begin to learn about it, and those who would like to adopt it to their daily practice. We also need to consider their cultural, age and education before recommending specific mindfulness treatments.”

The study found that a higher proportion of non-white participants engaged in mindfulness than among white participants, which needs further exploration, according to the researchers.

Enrolled participants in clinical trials choose to participate in the mindfulness research, possibly because they may already were  more open to participating in such activities.

“Therefore, we don't know what people understand and how mindfulness is used outside the research venues,” Von Visger says. “Our increased understanding of how they approach this practice in their own environment is helpful in designing appropriate methodologies for introducing, integrating and embedding mindfulness in those with chronic conditions.

“More importantly, it tells us about the level of interest COPD adults living in the community have about mindfulness, their understanding of mindfulness practice and its contribution to symptom self-management,” says Von Visger.