Transcendental Meditation Protects Against Heart Disease

by Heidi Stevenson

23 November 2009

Heart disease, strokes, and death rates were reduced by 47% in patients who practiced transcendental meditation, as compared to those who received education in reducing risk factors. A nine-year study financed by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute randomly assigned 201 African Americans to either meditate or make lifestyle changes.

All 201 subjects had indications of cardiovascular risk, including narrowing of heart arteries. Meditators were told to practice twice a day for 20 minutes, while the lifestyle changes people were educated in risk factors and taught to modify their diets and exercise. At the end of the study, most meditators (80%) were still practising at least once a day, while very little change was noted as a result of education.

The study also reported that the meditators had significantly lower blood pressure and less stress.

Another study, published in the American Journal of Hypertension on October 1^st 2009, records similar results, showing that meditation reduces blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and anger in students.