Insomnia is prevalent in older adulthood and linked to adverse physical, emotional, and cognitive outcomes. While anxiety is a recognised risk factor, reduced quality of life (QoL) may also heighten vulnerability to sleep disturbances. Dispositional mindfulness has been proposed as a protective factor that may buffer the impact of anxiety and low QoL on insomnia; however, its moderating role in older adults remains underexplored. This study used baseline data from a larger randomised controlled trial evaluating a six-week online mindfulness intervention for insomnia. A total of 108 adults aged 55 and older completed standardised self-report measures of insomnia severity, anxiety, QoL, and dispositional mindfulness. Linear regression analyses tested main effects, while moderated multiple regression examined interaction effects, including exploratory analyses of mindfulness facets. Higher anxiety was associated with greater insomnia severity, and higher QoL predicted lower insomnia severity. Although overall mindfulness did not significantly moderate these relationships, significant interactions emerged between QoL and two mindfulness facets: acting with awareness and describing. These findings suggest that specific facets of mindfulness may interact with broader wellbeing indicators to influence sleep. Tailoring mindfulness-based interventions to strengthen dispositional traits may enhance their relevance and effectiveness for older adults experiencing insomnia.

Alkarrar is currently completing an Honours degree in Psychology at Monash University, building on his undergraduate studies in the same field. His research focuses on the relationship between anxiety, quality of life, and insomnia in older adults, with a particular interest in the moderating role of dispositional mindfulness. He is passionate about research that explores the intersection of mental health, ageing, and sleep, and he is particularly interested in how psychological resilience factors can inform more effective, person-centred interventions across the lifespan.