Mindfulness and Exercise for Well-being

(SMUS Trial)

Overseen By Johannes Thrul, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Not JHU student, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

300 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how mindfulness and exercise impact well-being in college students who frequently use social media. Researchers will divide participants into three groups: one will practice mindfulness meditation daily, another will reduce social media use and replace it with exercise, and a control group will maintain their usual habits. The goal is to assess how these activities affect social media use and mental health. The trial seeks Johns Hopkins University students who use social media for more than an hour daily and typically exercise for less than an hour each day. As an unphased trial, it offers students a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could enhance mental health strategies for their peers.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research shows that practicing mindfulness meditation can sometimes have negative effects. Studies indicate that 10% to 87% of people who meditate may experience issues like anxiety or confusion about time and space. Some might even relive past traumas or face other mental health challenges. While many find meditation helpful, it carries risks for some.

In contrast, cutting down on social media use and exercising appears safer. Research suggests that reducing social media use can improve well-being. Exercise is generally safe and beneficial, especially if it replaces time spent online. However, be mindful of the type of exercise to avoid injuries.

Overall, mindfulness might have downsides for a few people, while reducing social media use and exercising are usually safer options. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores non-traditional approaches to enhancing well-being, such as mindfulness, exercise, and reducing social media usage, which are often overlooked in conventional mental health interventions. Unlike standard treatments like medications and cognitive-behavioral therapy, these methods emphasize lifestyle changes that can empower individuals to take control of their mental health. The mindfulness component offers daily guided meditations that focus on gratitude and stress management, which could help participants build resilience against stress. Meanwhile, combining exercise with reduced social media exposure encourages physical activity and minimizes potential stressors from excessive digital engagement. This holistic approach might provide a fresh perspective on managing well-being in a more accessible and sustainable way.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for improving well-being in college students with high social media use?

Research shows that mindfulness meditation, particularly through apps like Calm, can reduce stress and anxiety while improving mental health. Studies have found that these apps can lessen symptoms of depression and enhance overall well-being. In this trial, one group of participants will engage in mindfulness meditation using the Calm platform. Another group will focus on reducing social media use while incorporating daily exercise. Some research suggests that spending less time on social media can improve mental health, although results are mixed. Exercise is known to boost mood and reduce anxiety. Combining reduced social media use with exercise might enhance these benefits. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Johannes Thrul, PhD

Principal Investigator

Johns Hopkins University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for college students who use social media a lot and might be dealing with anxiety, depression, or just want to improve their well-being. They should be willing to try mindfulness meditation, reduce their social media usage, or exercise regularly for two weeks.

Inclusion Criteria

Providing consent to participate

Only exercising 1 hour or less daily, on average

I am 18 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

Doesn't own a smart phone

Uses smartphone less than 1 hour daily

Exercises more than 1 hour daily

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants engage in either a mindfulness meditation or social media reduction + exercise intervention daily for two weeks

2 weeks

Daily self-guided activities

Post-Intervention Assessment

Participants complete self-report and behavioral measures immediately after the intervention period

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in mental health and social media use one week after the intervention period

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Exercise
• Mindfulness
• Social Media Reduction

Trial Overview The study tests if mindfulness exercises or replacing social media time with physical activity can help students feel better. It's a random test where some do nothing different (control), some meditate, and others cut back on social media and work out instead.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Social Media Reduction + Exercise Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Participants will reduce social media use by at least 30 minutes daily for two weeks. Simultaneously, participants will exercise at least 30 minutes daily. Participants are given examples of common exercises (walking, yoga, strength training, etc.), but are allowed to choose any type, although dissuaded from activities with high potential for injury.

Group II: Mindfulness Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Approximately 15 minute mindfulness style meditations will be completed daily for two weeks through the Calm platform. Participants can listen to the exercise on the web-enabled version of Calm, or through the smartphone app. The first course is entitled "7 Days of Gratitude" and centers around noticing and appreciating things in daily life, the second course is entitled "7 Days of managing stress" that focuses on building awareness and coping with that specific area of mental stress, such as de-escalating stress, mind-body connection, strong emotions, negative self-talk, and how events are interpreted.

Group III: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will not receive an intervention. Participants will receive instructions to use social media use as usual.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Lead Sponsor

Trials

441

Recruited

2,157,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6614998/

Efficacy of the Mindfulness Meditation Mobile App “Calm” ... Mindfulness meditation, a component of MBSR and MBCT, alone has shown to have positive benefits—from reducing stress and anxiety to improving overall well- ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735823001289

Review The efficacy of mindfulness apps on symptoms ... Growing evidence indicates that mindfulness apps can acutely reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, although higher quality studies with longer follow-ups ...

3. nature.com nature.com/articles/s44184-023-00048-5

The impact of mindfulness apps on psychological ... Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have demonstrated efficacy in improving a range of clinical outcomes, such as depression and anxiety. In ...

4. link.springer.com link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-025-02652-2

The Use of Mindfulness Meditation Apps Improves Mental ... They found that meditation apps decreased perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and increased psychological well-being, although efficacy ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6928287/

Intermittent mindfulness practice can be beneficial, and ... Calm is supported by empirical evidence. This study is the first to demonstrate that use of the Calm app is associated with positive mental health outcomes.

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X25002106

Adverse Effects of Meditation and Mindfulness in Clinical ... Recent studies reveal that 25-87% of those who engage in meditation report adverse effects (AEs), with 3-37% experiencing functional impairment ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8845498/

Defining and measuring meditation-related adverse effects in ... Meditation practice in MBPs is associated with transient distress and negative impacts at similar rates to other psychological treatments.

8. theconversation.com theconversation.com/meditation-can-be-harmful-and-can-even-make-mental-health-problems-worse-230435

Meditation can be harmful – and can even make mental ... A 2022 study, using a sample of 953 people in the US who meditated regularly, showed that over 10% of participants experienced adverse effects ...

9. psychologytoday.com psychologytoday.com/us/blog/talking-about-trauma/202408/mindfulness-meditation-may-have-downsides

Mindfulness Meditation May Have Downsides The most common adverse effects found were anxiety, time-space distortions, and traumatic re-experiencing.

10. greatergood.berkeley.edu greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_meditation_might_need_a_warning_label

Why Meditation Might Need a Warning Label Research suggests that meditation can sometimes be harmful for certain people—and can even make mental health problems worse.