Scientific and Medical Research

Meditation can reduce the effects of aging on the brain.

Effects of Long-Term Mindfulness Meditation on Brain’s White Matter Microstructure and its Aging

Davide Laneri, Verena Schuster, Bruno Dietsche, Andreas Jansen, Ulrich Ott and Jens Sommer

Aging Neuroscience. 7:254. (2015)

“The subsequent generalized linear model analysis revealed group differences and a group-by-age interaction in all five selected regions. These data provide preliminary indications that the practice of mindfulness meditation might result in white matter connectivity change and might provide evidence on its ability to help diminish age-related white matter degeneration in key regions which participate in processes of mindfulness.”

Meditation in the workplace can decrease stress and exhaustion.

Reducing stress and burnout in the public‐sector work environment: A mindfulness meditation pilot study 

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Elizabeth Vella MHealthProm, Shane McIver PhD

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Health Promotion Journal of Australia. 2019; 30: 219–227.

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“Statistically significant decreases were obtained for perceived stress (d = 0.8) and emotional exhaustion (d = 0.4). Themes from qualitative findings suggested participants experienced an increased recognition of stress triggers, increased ability to detach from stressors, increased calmness and increased ability to prioritise work.”

Meditation can reduce inflammation and impact immune response.

The Effects of Mind-Body Therapies on the Immune System: Meta-Analysis

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Nani Morgan, Michael R. Irwin, Mei Chung, Chenchen Wang

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Public Library of Science ONE 9(7) 2014

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“Thirty-four studies published in 39 articles (total 2, 219 participants) met inclusion criteria. For inflammatory measures, after 7 to 16 weeks of mind-body intervention, there was a moderate effect on reduction of C-reactive protein (effect size [ES], 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 1.12), a small but not statistically significant reduction of interleukin-6 (ES, 0.35; 95% CI, 20.04 to 0.75), and negligible effect on tumor necrosis factor-a (ES, 0.21; 95% CI, 20.15 to 0.58). For anti-viral related immune and enumerative measures, there were negligible effects on CD4 counts (ES, 0.15; 95% CI, 20.04 to 0.34) and natural killer cell counts (ES, 0.12, 95% CI 20.21 to 0.45). Some evidence indicated mind-body therapies increase immune responses to vaccination...

Mind-body therapies reduce markers of inflammation and influence virus-specific immune responses to vaccination despite minimal evidence suggesting effects on resting anti-viral or enumerative measures.”

Meditation can increase engagement with work, job performance, and job satisfaction.

The Association between Meditation Practice and Job Performance: A Cross Sectional Study.

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Shiba K, Nishimoto M, Sugimoto M, Ishikawa Y

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Public Library of Science ONE 10(5): e:0128287 2015

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“The results of Study2 (n=1,470) indicated that meditation practice was significantly predictive of work engagement(β =0.112,p<.001), subjective job performance(β=0.116, p<.001), and job satisfaction(β=0.079,p=.002), even after adjusting for covariates (β=0.083,p<.001; β=0.104,p<.001;β =0.060,p=.015,respectively). The results indicate that meditation practice may positively influence job performance, including job satisfaction, subjective job performance, and work engagement.”

Meditation can decrease the intensity of pain and frequency of headaches.

Mindfulness Meditation for Primary Headache Pain: A Meta‑Analysis

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Qiang Gu, Jin‑Chao Hou, Xiang‑Ming Fang

Chinese Medical Journal (Engl). 2018 Apr 5;131(7):829-838

“When compared to control group data, mindfulness meditation induced significant improvement in pain intensity (standardized mean difference, −0.89; 95% confidence interval, −1.63 to −0.15; P = 0.02) and headache frequency (−0.67; −1.24 to −0.10; P = 0.02). In a subgroup analysis of different meditation forms, mindfulness‑based stress reduction displayed a significant positive influence on pain intensity (P < 0.000).”

Meditation can improve psychological wellbeing in employees.

Exploring the benefits of a mindfulness program for Portuguese public healthcare workers

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Inês Gaspar & António Martinho & Margarida Lima

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Current Psychology (2018)

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“After the training the participants had statistically higher values (P<.003) of Acting with Awareness (FFMQ) and Self-Compassion (SCS, total scale score), and a lower Self-Judgment (SCS) score. Marginal significant results (.003<p value<.009) indicated an increase in Positive Affect (PANAS, for men), Describing (FFMQ), and a decrease in Negative Affect(PANAS),Stress(DASS-21),and Over-identification(SCS). These findings suggest that practicing mindfulness meditation may be a useful strategy for improving employees’ psychological well-being.”

Meditation performed in the office can acutely improve several physiological and psychologcial markers of stress.

Fifteen Minutes of Chair-Based Yoga Postures or Guided Meditation Performed in the Office Can Elicit a Relaxation Response

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Geoffrey W. Melville, Dennis Chang, Ben Colagiuri, Paul W. Marshall, and Birinder S. Cheema

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Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume 2012

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“Yoga and meditation significantly reduced perceived stress versus control, and this effect was maintained post intervention. Yoga increased heart rate while meditation reduced heart rate versus control (P<0.05). Respiration rate was reduced during yoga and meditation versus control (P<0.05). Domains of heart rate variability (e.g., SDNN and Total Power) were significantly reduced during control versus yoga and meditation. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced secondary to meditation versus control only (P<0.05). Physiological adaptations generally regressed toward baseline post intervention. In conclusion, yoga postures or meditation performed in the office can acutely improve several physiological and psychological markers of stress. These effects may be at least partially mediated by reduced respiration rate.”

Meditation can enhance executive attention and reduce stress.

Meditation’s Effect on Attentional Efficiency, Stress, and Mindfulness Characteristics of Nursing Students

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Kathleen G. Burger, PhD, RN, CNE; and Joan Such Lockhart, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN

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Journal of Nursing Education. 2017;56(7):430-434.

“Meditation demonstrated moderate strength for enhancing executive attention, F = 4.26 (1, 49), n2 = .080, p = .044. Additional outcomes specific to the meditation group were reduced stress and increased mindfulness, F = 7.16 (2, 47), n2 = .234, p = .002.”

Meditation can improve workplace culture, responsiveness, and learning

Integral mindflow: A process of mindfulness-in-flow to enhance individual and organization

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Ron Lewis Cacioppe

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The Learning Organization Vol.24 No.6, 2017 pp. 408-417

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"This paper suggests that conducting workplace programmes and environments that incorporate mindfulness, meditation and flow has considerable potential to improve culture, responsiveness and learning.  For mindflow to be a useful process to enhance individual and organizational learning, conditions need to be embedded which encourage mindfulness and flow in the organization... Organizations need to provide workplace conditions, resources and systems that support mindful flow"

Meditation can significantly improve blood pressure.

Investigating the effect of transcendental meditation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Z Bai, J Chang, C Chen, P Li2, K Yang and I Chi

Journal of Human Hypertension (2015) 29, 653–662

“Results from subgroup analysis suggested that transcendental meditation had a greater effect on systolic BP among older participants, those with higher initial BP levels, and women, respectively. In terms of diastolic BP, it appears that transcendental meditation might be more efficient in a short-term intervention and with individuals experiencing higher BP levels.”

Meditation can improve cognitive function and quality of life, and decrease inflammation.

Effect of medical Qigong on cognitive function, quality of life, and a biomarker of inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial

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Oh B, Butow PN, Mullan BA, Clarke SJ, Beale PJ, Pavlakis N, Lee MS, Rosenthal DS, Larkey L, Vardy J.

Support Care Cancer (2012) 20:1235–1242

“… self-reported significantly improved cognitive function (mean difference (MD)=7.78, t51=−2.532, p=0.014) in the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer [assessment] and all the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy—Cognitive subscales [perceived cognitive impairment (MD=4.70, t43=−2.254, p=0.029), impact of perceived cognitive impairment on quality of life (MD= 1.64, t45=−2.377, p=0.024), and perceived cognitive abilities (MD=3.61, t45=−2.229, p=0.031)] compared to controls. The medical Qigong group also reported significantly improved quality of life (MD=12.66, t45=−5.715, p<0.001) and had reduced C-reactive protein levels (MD=−0.72, t45=2.092, p=0.042) compared to controls.”

Meditation in the workplace can reduce stress and blood pressure in the long term.

Worksite Stress Reduction Through the Transcendental Meditation Program

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J. Richard N. Broome, David W. Orme, Jane Schmidt

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Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, 2005, 17, 235–273.

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“Psychological stress decreased significantly over 5.5 months for the Transcendental Meditation group (p < .0002) with 67% of the decrease in the first two weeks; for the Progressive Muscle Relaxation group (p < .03); and near significantly for on-site controls (p < .09). Six weeks of TM practice produced greater reductions in psychological stress than six weeks of PMR (p < .03). Off-site active controls who received business-skills training showed non significant decreases. Post test stress levels were higher than for on-site groups (p < .04). Blood pressure decreased at 5.5 months for systolic (p < .05) and diastolic (p < .04) for the TM groups but not significantly in PMR or on-site controls. Subjective reports and changes in company climate generally supported the results”

Meditation can improve blood pressure, stress levels, and quality of life.

Effect of transcendental meditation on stress and blood pressure among patients with systemic hypertension

Devi. S, Dr. L N Samaga

Asian Journal of Nursing Education and Research 5(1): Jan.-March 2015

“Transcendental Meditation training had an immediate effect, reducing pulse rate 4.02 beats/min, Stress level 0-6 score, systolic blood pressure 0-4 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure 0-3 mm Hg. After 2, 4, 6, weeks of Transcendental Meditation training, further decreases in pulse rate (0-6 beats/min), systolic blood pressure (2-9 mm Hg), and diastolic blood pressure (1-7mm Hg) occurred. Transcendental Meditation significantly lowered patients' perception of stress (P <0.905), and it enhanced their perception of health and wellbeing. Transcendental Meditation is beneficial for patients with systemic hypertension, and nurses can use it to enhance their independent function as well as their quality of life.”

Meditation can improve blood pressure and other health indicators in diabetics.

Effects of Buddhist walking meditation on glycemic control and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes

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Atikarn Gaineya, Thep Himathongkamb, Hirofumi Tanakac, Daroonwan Suksoma

Complementary Therapies in Medicine 26 (2016) 92–97

“After 12 weeks, maximal oxygen consumption increased and fasting blood glucose level decreased significantly in both groups (p < 0.05). Significant decrease in HbA1c and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed only in the WM group. Flow-mediated dilatation increased significantly (p < 0.05)in both exercise groups but arterial stiffness was improved only in the WM group. Blood cortisol level was reduced (p < 0.05) only in the WM group. Conclusion: Buddhist walking meditation exercise produced a multitude of favorable effects, often supe-rior to traditional walking program, in patients with type 2 diabetes.”

Meditation can enhance specific brain areas.

Enhanced White Matter Integrity in Corpus Callosum of Long-Term Brahmakumaris Rajayoga Meditators

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Kanishka Sharma, Richa Trivedi, Sushil Chandra, Prabhjot Kaur, Pawan Kumar, Kavita Singh, Ashok K. Dubey, and Subash Khushu

BRAIN CONNECTIVITY Volume 8, Number 1, 2018

“Results show high fractional anisotropy values with low mean diffusivity in whole as well as different segments of corpus callosum in the long-term meditation group. Also the experience of meditation was correlated with white matter properties of corpus callosum tracts. Findings may suggest rajayoga meditation to bring potential changes in microstructure of corpus callosum segments.”

Meditation can reduce the impact of aging on the brain.

Estimating brain age using high-resolution pattern recognition: Younger brains in long-term meditation practitioners

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Eileen Luders, Nicolas Cherbuinb, Christian Gaser

NeuroImage 134 (2016) 508–513

“While brain age estimates varied only little in controls, significant changes were detected in meditators: for every additional year over fifty, meditators' brains were estimated to be an additional 1 month and 22 days younger than their chronological age. Altogether, these findings seem to suggest that meditation is beneficial for brain preservation, effectively protecting against age-related atrophy with a consistently slower rate of brain aging throughout life.”

Meditation can improve mood, spiritual health, and pain tolerance.

Is Spirituality a Critical Ingredient of Meditation? Comparing the Effects of Spiritual Meditation, Secular Meditation, and Relaxation on Spiritual, Psychological, Cardiac, and Pain Outcomes

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Amy B. Wachholtz and Kenneth I. Pargament

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Journal of Behavioral Medicine, Vol. 28, No. 4, August 2005

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“Significant interactions occurred (time×group); the Spiritual Meditation group had greater decrease sin anxiety and more positive mood, spiritual health, and spiritual experiences than the other two groups. They also tolerated pain almost twice as long as the other two groups.”

Meditation can create physiological changes in the brain.

Large-Scale Functional Brain Network Reorganization During Taoist Meditation

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Tun Jao, Chia-Wei Li, Petra E. Ve´rtes, Changwei Wesley Wu, Sophie Achard, Chao-Hsien Hsieh, Chien-Hui Liou, Jyh-Horng Chen, and Edward T. Bullmore

BRAIN CONNECTIVITY Volume 6, Number 1, 2016

“Our findings suggest that transient changes in consciousness associated with meditation introduce convergent changes in the topological and spatial properties of brain functional networks, and the anatomical pattern of integration might be as important as the global level of integration when considering the network basis for human consciousness.”

Meditation can produce a variety of beneficial health outcomes.

Meditation, Health and Scientific Investigations: Review of the Literature

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Cynthia Vieira Sanches Sampaio, Manuela Garcia Lima, Ana Marice Ladeia

Journal of Religious Health (2017) 56:411–427

“the advances in researches with meditation, the discovery of its potential as an instrument of self-regulation of the human body and its benefits to health have shown that it is a consistent alternative therapy when associated with conventional medical treatments.”

Meditation can improve pain and depression symptoms and quality of life.

Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Lara Hilton, MPH & Susanne Hempel, PhD & Brett A. Ewing, MS & Eric Apaydin, MPP & Lea Xenakis, MPA & Sydne Newberry, PhD & Ben Colaiaco, MA & Alicia Ruelaz Maher, MD & Roberta M. Shanman, MS & Melony E. Sorbero, PhD & Margaret A. Maglione, MPP

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Annals of Behavioral Medicine (2017) 51:199–213

“We found low-quality evidence that mindfulness meditation is associated with a small decrease in pain compared with all types of controls in 30 RCTs. Statistically significant effects were also found for depression symptoms and quality of life. While mindfulness meditation improves pain and depression symptoms and quality of life, additional well-designed, rigorous, and large-scale RCTs are needed to decisively provide estimates of the efficacy of mindfulness meditation for chronic pain.”

Meditation can decrease the frequency of migraines, anxiety, negative emotions, and susceptibility to pain.

Migraines and meditation: does spirituality matter?

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Amy B. Wachholtz, Kenneth I. Pargament

Journal of Behavioral Medicine (2008) 31:351–366

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“Compared to the other three groups, those who practiced spiritual meditation had greater decreases in the frequency of migraine headaches, anxiety, and negative affect, as well as greater increases in pain tolerance, headache-related self-efficacy, daily spiritual experiences, and existential well being”

Meditation can improve quality of live in teenagers with cancer.

Mindfulness meditation improved quality of life in adolescents with cancer

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Christine A. Zawistowski, MD

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Hematology and Oncology Today | AUGUST 25, 2014

Meditation can improve emotional regulation, attention, and inflammation.

Mindfulness Training for Healthy Aging: Impact on Attention, Well-Being, and Inflammation

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Fountain-Zaragoza S and Prakash RS

Aging Neuroscience. 9:11. (2017)

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“Specifically, mindfulness training’s promotion of focused attention may mitigate the decline of attentional control abilities across late development and allow older adults to capitalize on their preserved emotion regulation abilities. Existing evidence points to some improvements in facets of attentional control in older adults, although some studies have shown no benefits in performance. Further, there is evidence of enhancements in both psychological and physical aspects of well-being, and accompanying improvements in systemic inflammation, following mindfulness training”

Meditation may decrease incidence of cancer.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction teachers, practice characteristics, cancer incidence, and health: a nationwide ecological description

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Sara Wagner Robb, Kelsey Benson, Lauren Middleton, Christine Meyers and James R Hébert

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Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2015) 15:24

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“Our analyses might suggest that a relationship exists between the total number of MBSR teachers per state and the total number of years of general meditation practice per state, and colorectal and cervical cancer incidence. Positive correlations were observed with overall health rankings”