title: Self-reported mindfulness and cortisol during a Shamatha meditation retreat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cognitive perseverations that include worry and rumination over past or future events may prolong cortisol release, which in turn may contribute to predisease pathways and adversely affect physical health. Meditation training may increase self-reported mindfulness, which has been linked to reductions in cognitive perseverations. However, there are no reports that directly link self-reported mindfulness and resting cortisol output. Here, the authors investigate this link.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an observational study, we measured self-reported mindfulness and p.m. cortisol near the beginning and end of a 3-month meditation retreat (N = 57).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mindfulness increased from pre- to post-retreat, F(1, 56) = 36.20, p < .001. Cortisol did not significantly change. However, mindfulness was inversely related to p.m. cortisol at pre-retreat, r(53) = -.31, p < .05, and post-retreat, r(53) = -.30, p < .05, controlling for age and body mass index. Pre to postchange in mindfulness was associated with pre to postchange in p.m. cortisol, β = -.37, t(49) = 2.30, p < .05: Larger increases in mindfulness were associated with decreases in p.m. cortisol, whereas smaller increases (or slight decreases) in mindfulness were associated with an increase in p.m. cortisol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest a relation between self-reported mindfulness and resting output of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. Future work should aim to replicate this finding in a larger cohort and determine stronger inference about causality by using experimental designs that include control-group conditions.
authors.affiliation: Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis.
authors.forename: Tonya L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Phillip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Shaver
authors.forename: Elissa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Epel
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Zanesco
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Aichele
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bridwell
authors.forename: Erika L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Brandon G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Maclean
authors.forename: Baljinder K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Sahdra
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kemeny
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: B Alan
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: Clifford D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Saron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D019122:Meditation; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D064866:Mindfulness; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone