Abstract
Carlson and Garland report mindfulness-based stress reduction improved sleep, mood, stress, and fatigue in cancer outpatients compared with wait-list — supportive care, not cure claim.
Carlson, L. E., & Garland, S. N. (2005). International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 12(4), 278–285. DOI
Key findings
- Sleep gains — MBSR participants reported better sleep quality over the programme window.
- Mood stress relief — Mood and perceived stress improved relative to wait-list controls.
- Fatigue drop — Fatigue symptoms eased — a common outpatient burden.
- Wait-list design — Controlled against wait-list — changes exceeded passive time alone.
Limits
Single outpatient cancer sample — supportive context; not general oncology claim.
Application
When rest and mood fray during long treatment — structured mindfulness supported symptom load in this trial. See Somatic witnessing lineage.