Andrey Molchanov, Co-founder & CEO at Mo: Mediation and Sleep, will discuss the health benefits of meditation based on scientific research and conclusions.
Stress has become an integral part of our lives, and chronic diseases have reached epidemic proportions. Now the medical community is turning to ancient practices in search of new solutions. One of the most promising areas has been the study of meditation’s effect on hypertension – a disease often called the “silent killer” due to its insidious ability to cause serious health damage without obvious symptoms.
Hypertension: The many-faced enemy of modern humans
Hypertension is a multifactorial disease, with an unhealthy lifestyle and increased sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system playing key roles in its development. Stress is one of the main risk factors.
Traditionally, hypertension treatment includes the use of antihypertensive drugs and lifestyle changes, including weight loss, following the DASH diet (increasing consumption of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products while reducing saturated fat intake), limiting salt intake, increasing physical activity, and moderate alcohol consumption.
However, despite the effectiveness of drug treatment, patient adherence to long-term therapy often leaves much to be desired. Additionally, antihypertensive drugs can cause a number of side effects such as insomnia, sedation, dry mouth, drowsiness, impotence, and headaches. These factors are prompting researchers and doctors to look for alternative methods of blood pressure control.
Meditation: A new look at an ancient practice
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials showed that meditation has a statistically significant effect on reducing diastolic blood pressure compared to the control group. The effect on systolic pressure was also statistically significant, albeit at a very minor level.
Interestingly, in people taking antihypertensive drugs, meditation had a more pronounced effect on systolic pressure compared to those not taking medication.
One of the most impressive studies was conducted in 2007. After three months of meditative practice, participants showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure by 4.3 mm Hg and diastolic by 3.11 mm Hg (with a 95% confidence interval from -6.02 to -0.57 and from -4.22 to -3.06, respectively). These results showed that meditation is four times more effective in lowering blood pressure compared to conventional healthy lifestyle education.
Meditation: From ancient monasteries to medical centers
A pilot study conducted among elderly patients diagnosed with primary hypertension demonstrated that self-healing meditation helped maintain participants’ blood pressure below 140/90 mm Hg and reduce stress levels.
A randomised intervention study conducted by Hirofumi Tanaka from the University of Texas at Austin and Daroonwan Suksom from Chulalongkorn University and published in ResearchGate showed a significant reduction in blood pressure levels in elderly patients with mild to moderate depressive symptoms after 12 weeks of meditation during walking.
Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is a marker of endothelium-dependent vasodilation, improved from 6.5 ± 0.8% to 12.2 ± 1.3% after 12 weeks of meditation, while traditional physical exercises improve FMD only from 5.3 ± 1.2% to 9.1 ± 1.3%.
Another study conducted by Naragon-Gainey K and published in the National Library of Medicine showed that meditation during walking improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation in adult patients with type 2 diabetes. A significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure was observed only in the meditation group compared to the traditional exercise group.
Meditation for all ages
Interestingly, the positive effect of meditation on vascular function is not limited to the elderly. Studies involving young adults have shown similar improvements in vascular function and blood pressure.
For example, the same study published in ResearchGate also demonstrated a significant reduction in mixed blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) levels after meditation practice in young men aged 20-25 years compared to the control group of the same age leading a normal lifestyle.
Another randomised controlled study examining the mindfulness approach reported a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure levels after the study in the meditation group compared to pre-meditation levels. However, this study did not find significant changes in diastolic blood pressure.
Meditation and biochemical markers
A study conducted in Korea expanded our understanding of meditation’s effects on the body. It involved 48 patients with diabetes or hypertension. Participants were divided into two groups: one practiced “brain training” meditation (BEM), while the other attended educational sessions. The study lasted eight weeks and was conducted at the Ulsan Chung-gu Public Health Center.
The results showed a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein levels (by 13.82; p<0.05) and expression of inflammatory genes (0.3-, 0.5-, and 0.2-fold change for Nf-kb 2, RELA, and IL1-B respectively, P<0.05) in the group practicing meditation. This suggests that meditation can have a positive effect not only on blood pressure but also on other important biochemical markers associated with cardiovascular diseases.
Deep breathing: A simple technique with a powerful effect
In addition to meditation, deep breathing has also shown its effectiveness in reducing blood pressure in elderly people with hypertension. A study conducted on 108 elderly people with hypertension at a medical center in Subang showed that a deep breathing relaxation technique performed for 15 minutes 3 times a day for 3 months has a significant effect on reducing blood pressure.
This study is particularly important as it demonstrates that even simple breathing techniques that are easy to integrate into daily life can have a substantial impact on cardiovascular health.
Meditation as part of a comprehensive approach
It’s important to note that while the results of studies on meditation and related practices are quite impressive, they should not be considered as a replacement for traditional hypertension treatment. Rather, meditation can serve as a valuable addition to a comprehensive approach that includes medication and lifestyle changes.
The advantage of meditation is that it not only helps lower blood pressure but also improves overall vascular system condition, reduces stress levels, and improves patients’ quality of life. Moreover, unlike drugs, meditation has no side effects and can be practiced by people of all ages.
Conclusion
Meditation opens up new perspectives in the treatment of hypertension. This ancient practice, adapted to modern scientific standards, can become a powerful tool in the fight against one of the most common diseases of our time.
However, it’s important to remember that an individual approach is necessary to achieve the best results. Patients with hypertension are recommended to discuss the possibility of including meditative practices in their treatment plan with their treating physician.
As research in this field continues, we can expect further discoveries that will help improve the health and well-being of millions of people worldwide suffering from hypertension. Perhaps in the future, meditation will become a standard part of hypertension treatment, along with medications and lifestyle changes.
