Scientific Research
1000's of Studies Prove the Effectiveness of Meditation on Mind, Body, Behavior and Overall Wellbeing​
Although meditation is believed to be over five thousand years old, scientific research on it is in its infancy. While it's commonly understood that meditation reduces stress and anxiety, you may be surprised to learn the array of benefits which come with meditation:
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Stress Reduction
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Anxiety Control
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Depression Management
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Lowers Blood Pressure
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Improved Memory
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Immune Strengthening
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Reduce Negative Feelings
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Increased Creativity
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Focus on the Present
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Enhance Self Awareness
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Improved Patience
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Improves Sleep
This is for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute medical advice or diagnosis.
1 Stress Reduction
Scientifically Proven Benefits
A study of 3,500 adults concluded that meditation can reduce stress.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, "If stress has you anxious, tense and worried, you might try meditation. Spending even a few minutes in meditation can help restore your calm and inner peace."
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The Mayo Clinic reported, "These benefits don't end when your meditation session ends. Meditation can help take you more calmly through your day. And meditation may help you manage symptoms of some medical conditions."
2 Anxiety Control
Effective Anxiety Management
According to the website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institute of Health, a 2018 NCCIH-supported analysis which included more than 12,000 participants found that for treating anxiety and depression, mindfulness-based approaches were better than no treatment at all, and they worked as well as the evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoeducation, and relaxation.
3 Depression Management
Meditation: Effects on Depression
Some forms of meditation can lead to an improved self-image and a more positive outlook on life.
According to PubMed Central, a database of the National Institute of Health, a review of treatments given to more than 3,500 adults found that mindfulness meditation improved symptoms of depression.
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Similarly, PubMed Central cited a review of 18 studies indicating that people receiving meditation therapies experienced reduced symptoms of depression, compared with those in a control group.
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4 Lowers Blood Pressure
Heart Health
High blood pressure is a contributor to atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of the arteries. The effects of high blood pressure can lead to heart attack and stroke.
According to PubMed Central, a meta-analysis of 12 studies enrolling nearly 1000 participants found that meditation helped in the reduction of blood pressure. This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study.
5 Improved Memory
Meditation and Memory
A study in Consciousness and Cognition revealed that participants who meditated for 20 minutes for four days showed lowered stress levels as well as significant improvements in memory and cognition. Those who meditated also scored as much as 10 times better on a working memory task.
Mitigating extensive negative biochemical effects of stress, according to PubMed Central, may be effective in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Furthermore, a review found preliminary evidence that multiple meditation styles can increase attention, memory, and mental quickness in older volunteers.
6 Immune Strengthening
Meditation and Health
According to the Mayo Clinic:
Meditation also might help if you have a medical condition. This is most often true if you have a condition that stress makes worse.
A lot of research shows that meditation is good for health. But some experts believe there's not enough research to prove that meditation helps. With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help people manage symptoms of conditions such as:
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Anxiety.
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Asthma.
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Cancer.
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Chronic pain.
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Depression.
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Heart disease.
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High blood pressure.
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Irritable bowel syndrome.
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Sleep problems.
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Tension headaches.
Be sure to talk to your healthcare professional about the pros and cons of using meditation if you have any of these or other health conditions.
7 Reduced Negative Feelings
Scientifically Proven Benefits
According to Forbes, when practiced over time, meditation has the ability to change how you emotionally react to situations. Meditation can lead to less impulsive reactions. This means instead of reacting from a heightened emotional state such as anger or panic, people who practice regular meditation may gain the ability to more successfully regulate their mood.
8 Increased Creativity
Effective Anxiety Management
According to a study published in The Journal of Creative Behavior, meditation can increase creativity. The study found that students at Cornell University who practiced meditation showed increased originality after five months of practice.
Recent research showed that short-term meditation has fostering effects on creative thinking.
9 Focus on the Present
Focus on Now
According to the Mayo Clinic:
When you meditate, you may clear away the information overload that builds up every day and contributes to your stress.
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Researchers at UC Santa Barbara found that even as little as two weeks of meditation can lead to significant improvement in working memory capacity, reading comprehension, and ability to focus.
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Some research shows that meditation can change the brain's structure. Meditation has measurable effects on three areas of your brain: gray matter, which is involved in muscle control and sensory perception.
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According to the Mayo Clinic:
The emotional and physical benefits of meditation can include:
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Giving you a new way to look at things that cause stress.
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Building skills to manage your stress.
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Making you more self-aware.
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Focusing on the present.
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Reducing negative feelings.
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Helping you be more creative.
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Helping you be more patient.
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Lowering resting heart rate.
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Lowering resting blood pressure.
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Helping you sleep better.
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10 Enhance Attention Span
Longer Attention Span
In a study that looked at the effects of meditation over an eight-week period, it was found that the participant’s ability to maintain their attention had improved.
Similarly, a study showed that workers in human resources who continually practiced meditation could stay focused on tasks for longer periods of time. These HR workers could also remember the details of their tasks much better than those colleagues who didn’t take part in meditation.
Additionally, meditation has been found to reverse the brain patterns that lead to worrying, poor attention, and mind-wandering.
Meditation for short time periods can even be beneficial. One recent study indicated that practicing meditation for four days can enhance your attention span.
11 PTSD Management
Improved Mood and Quality of Life
According to PubMed Central:
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A 2018 review supported by NCCIH examined the effects of meditation (in 2 studies, 179 total participants) and other mindfulness-based practices (in 6 studies, 332 total participants) on symptoms of PTSD. Study participants included veterans, nurses, and people who experienced interpersonal violence. Six of the eight studies reported that participants had a reduction of PTSD symptoms after receiving some form of mindfulness-based treatment.
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A 2018 clinical trial funded by the U.S. Department of Defense compared the effectiveness of meditation, health education, and prolonged exposure therapy, a widely accepted treatment for PTSD recommended by the American Psychological Association. Prolonged exposure therapy helps people reduce their PTSD symptoms by teaching them to gradually remember traumatic memories, feelings, and situations. The study included 203 veterans with PTSD as a result of their active military service. The results of the study showed that meditation was as effective as prolonged exposure therapy at reducing PTSD symptoms and depression, and it was more effective than PTSD health education. The veterans who used meditation also showed improvement in mood and overall quality of life.
12 Improved Sleep
Meditation and Sleep
According to the National Institute of Health:
"Sleep disturbance is a common health complaint affecting an estimated 10–25% of the general population. Accumulated sleep deficiency can increase the risk for mood and anxiety disorders, cognitive impairment, and a variety of medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease6 and obesity."
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Scientific research has shown meditation to reduce insomnia by 30% to 65% as measured by a standard scale. A 2019 analysis of 18 studies (1,654 total participants) found that meditation practices improved sleep quality more than education-based treatments.
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Forbes states:
Research suggests meditation can improve a person’s ability to sleep and quality of sleep. “When most of us are struggling to sleep, it’s because our minds are ruminating over the day, or worrying about tomorrow,” says Meyer Tapia. While further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of meditation as a long-term sleep aid, its effects have been shown to help with insomnia, as well as day-time sleep related issues, such as fatigue.