References: Apps & digital tools

The key studies and reviews behind these pathways – organised by page, so you can see exactly what each claim on the site is based on.

Flett, J.A.M., Hayne, H., Riordan, B.C., Thompson, L.M. & Conner, T.S. (2019). “Mobile Mindfulness Meditation: A Randomised Controlled Trial of the Effect of Two Popular Apps on Mental Health.” Mindfulness, 10(5), 863–876. A randomised trial of two of the major apps named on this page, supporting its claim of real but modest short-term reductions in stress and anxiety.
Linardon, J. (2023). “Rates of attrition and engagement in randomized controlled trials of mindfulness apps: Systematic review and meta-analysis.” Behaviour Research and Therapy, 170, 104421. The evidence behind this page’s claim that app usage drops off sharply after the first few weeks for most users.

Miller, N.E. (1969). “Learning of visceral and glandular responses.” Science, 163(3866), 434–445. Miller’s own founding research showing the autonomic nervous system could be brought under conscious control – the Yale work this page traces the field back to.
Lehrer, P.M. & Gevirtz, R. (2014). “Heart rate variability biofeedback: how and why does it work?” Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 756. The main evidence behind this page’s account of heart rate variability as a clinically grounded marker of nervous system state.

Riedy, S.M., Smith, M.G., Rocha, S. & Basner, M. (2021). “Noise as a sleep aid: A systematic review.” Sleep Medicine Reviews, 55, 101385. The main systematic review behind this page’s claim that consistent background sound reliably helps many people fall asleep faster in noisy or unpredictable environments, by masking small disruptive noises.