SC.17: Deep Dive – Mediation’s Effectiveness: Research Evidence

Approximate reading time: 1 minute

Meditative techniques have their roots in religious practices, but their use has grown in many clinical and alternative medicine settings. There is a growing body of evidence that shows meditation may be effective in treating:

• Blood pressure (Azmi, Iyer, & Azmi, 2020; Goldstein, Josephson, Xie, & Hughes, 2012; Pascoe, Thompson, Jenkins, & Ski, 2017; Rainforth et al., 2007; MariGowda, 2020)
• Stress management (Desai et al., 2021; Shurtleff, 2018)
• Sleep quality (Caldwell, Harrison, Adams, Quin, & Greeson, 2010; Gobbo et al., 2023; Black et al., 2015; SaisaileshKumar et al., 2020; Wei, Li, & Liu, 2018; Nanthakwang et al., 2020; Hausswirth et al., 2022),
• Mood and anxiety disorders (Chen et al., 2013; Freeman et al., 2010; Vøllestad, Nielsen, & Nielsen, 2012; Bukar, Eberhardt, & Davidson, 2019; Bulzacka, Lavault, Pelissolo, & Bagnis Isnard, 2018),
• Pain management (Reiner, Tibi, & Lipsitz, 2013; Yannouli, 2021; Ferreira-Valente, Pimenta, Costa, Day, Pais-Ribeiro, & Jensen, 2021; May, Kosek, Zeidan, & Berkman, 2018).