Effects of the Deep Meditative Relaxation Technique (DMRT) On Nocturnal Self-Awakening Sleep/Wake Quality Among University Students

This study investigates effects of the Deep Meditative Relaxation Technique (DMRT)on self-awakening sleep/wake quality among university students. DMRT is apsycho-physiological, self-control intervention that operates on the theory that ifpsycho-physiological mind/body systems are unified to produce a desired effect withcue-directives projected in a body-scan just before sleep, the memory-trace of the cuesand the behavior-response of the meanings of the cues are formulated, consolidated,and engraved into short- and long-term memory, and learning occurs the next day orwithin 48 hours. DMRT consists of Cue-Mentation and Sleep. The DMRT ishypothesized to (1) increase the frequency of waking before alarm time, (2) decreasedifficulty waking from sleep, and (3) decrease difficulty falling asleep. Students werethe target population because of the student-lifestyle: A common set of behaviors thatinclude staying up very late into the night while studying, watching television, playingvideo games, surfing the web, or writing research papers. Such sleep deprivation maylead to more serious sleep disorders: sleep-onset insomnia or delayed sleep phasesyndrome. Recruitment included both genders (2 males, 6 females), age 18 to 53years. Both normal sleepers and those with minor sleep difficulties qualified toparticipate. Experimental phase ran three weeks, DMRT training was one hour, andfollow-up evaluations within five weeks. DMRT was assessed with content analysis,the within-group repeated-measures ANOVA design, and a time-series design withparametric, univariate, and multivariate statistics at the alpha .05, one-tailed level.Findings indicated that the DMRT’s cues to “rest,” “relax,” and “sleep” effectedchange in six hours and 57 minutes with a sleep-onset-latency less than 15 minutes.Findings indicated that the DMRT’s cue to “wake 5-minutes before the alarm” wasalso successful, and this self-awakening produced a distinct waking-alertness thatextended into the first six hours of the waking-life. Five-week follow-up evaluationsindicated (1) students continued to use the DMRT; (2) they believe DMRT controlssleep; and (3) self-efficacy continued to increase. Implications of the study indicatedDMRT is a therapeutic tool for ecological counselors and counselors alike. Futureresearch suggests DMRT therapy for sleep deprivation, insomnia, and delayed sleepphase type sleep disorders.

Name thesis:degree_name

EdD

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Counselor Education

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Cincinnati

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Elms, Henrietta

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cook, Ellen Piel

• Behavioral Sciences
• Self-Awakening
• insomnia
• delayed sleep phase syndrome
• sleep-control
• self-efficacy
• waking-alertness

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1353950254

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:ucin1353950254