Usage Patterns of the Calm Meditation App Among People with Cardiovascular Disease

Mindfulness volume 12, pages983–993(2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Objectives

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide and is highly comorbid with emotional disorders. Mindfulness meditation can improve health outcomes in people with CVD. Calm is the most popular smartphone meditation app, but the usage patterns among people with CVD have not been explored.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey study among N = 1512 Calm subscribers with CVD to explore user characteristics, usage patterns, and health changes, and compare the results among those with and without co-occurring anxiety or depression.

Results

Users were primarily white (83%), female (74%), and had relatively high income (45% with > $100,000/year). Most (67%) used Calm at least 5 ×/week and started using Calm to help with sleep (69%) and stress (67%). More users with anxiety or depression, compared to CVD-only, started Calm to help with stress (71% vs. 64%) and anxiety or depression (77% vs. 37%), and used components incorporating sounds and physical movements more often (all p’s < 0.05). Most participants reported changes in sleep, stress, and physical and mental health (60–79%), though changes were more prevalent among those with anxiety or depression (p’s < 0.001). More frequent Calm use was associated with greater health changes (p’s < 0.05).

Conclusions

Calm users with CVD use the app regularly to help with health promotion and, particularly those with anxiety or depression, perceive health changes from their Calm use. Randomized controlled trials are needed to establish the efficacy and optimal dose of Calm use for people with CVD.

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Funding

This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, award number K23AT009715, CL.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Christina M. Luberto & Ana-Maria Vranceanu

  2. MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, USA

    Christina M. Luberto

  3. College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Jen Huberty

  4. Behavioral Research and Analytics, LLC, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Megan Puzia

Authors
  1. Christina M. Luberto
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  2. Jen Huberty
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  3. Megan Puzia
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  4. Ana-Maria Vranceanu
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Contributions

CML conceptualized the study, analyzed the data, and wrote the manuscript. MP managed data collection and dataset, and provided feedback on the manuscript. JH contributed to the design of the study, oversaw study management, and edited the manuscript. AMV contributed to the study conceptualization and analyses plan and collaborated in the writing and editing of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christina M. Luberto.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. JH is currently the Director of Science at Calm. JH has been conducting research with Calm as a partner almost 5 years before becoming the Director of Science and the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). AMV is a member of Calm’s SAB and is independent from Calm leadership. Her role is to ensure the quality of Calm’s science. There are no financial incentives from the growth of Calm to any author.

Informed Consent

Ethical approval was obtained by the Institutional Review Board at Arizona State University. All participants provided electronic consent prior to completing the survey.

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Luberto, C.M., Huberty, J., Puzia, M. et al. Usage Patterns of the Calm Meditation App Among People with Cardiovascular Disease. Mindfulness 12, 983–993 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01567-4

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Keywords

  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Mindfulness
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • E-health