Meditation Research Finds Lower Blood Pressure in Clinical Trials

Research details

The review combined results from 19 randomized controlled trials in adults.

Standard blood-pressure readings were about 5 mmHg lower in systolic pressure with both transcendental and non-transcendental meditation.

Diastolic pressure was also lower in standard measurements: about 2.9 mmHg with transcendental meditation and 2.6 mmHg with non-transcendental meditation.

With daily-life monitoring, non-transcendental meditation was linked with reductions of about 3.8 mmHg systolic and 2.2 mmHg diastolic pressure.

The authors described non-transcendental meditation as promising but said more rigorous research was needed.

Teaser

A review of 19 randomized trials found that meditation was linked with small reductions in blood pressure, while also calling for more rigorous research.

Plain Summary

A 2017 systematic review and meta-analysis examined whether meditation was associated with lower blood pressure in adults. The researchers brought together findings from 19 randomized controlled trials, a study design that compares groups in a structured way. The review included both transcendental and non-transcendental forms of meditation.

When researchers used standard blood-pressure readings taken during a visit or study assessment, meditation was associated with a reduction in the upper blood-pressure number, called systolic pressure, of about 5 mmHg for both categories of meditation. The lower number, called diastolic pressure, was also lower—by about 2.9 mmHg among people practising transcendental meditation and about 2.6 mmHg among those using non-transcendental meditation.

Some studies used ambulatory monitoring, which records blood pressure at intervals during ordinary daily life rather than only during an appointment. In these measurements, non-transcendental meditation was associated with a reduction of about 3.8 mmHg in systolic pressure and 2.2 mmHg in diastolic pressure. For transcendental meditation, the change in systolic pressure from ambulatory measurements was not statistically significant, meaning the evidence was not strong enough to distinguish the result from chance using the researchers’ standard test.

Overall, the authors concluded that non-transcendental meditation may be a promising approach for lowering blood pressure. They also said that more rigorous research was needed. Because this was a review of several trials, the findings provide useful evidence of a possible benefit, but they do not mean that meditation will lower blood pressure for everyone or that it is the sole reason for every change seen in the studies. The results should not be taken as a replacement for prescribed treatment or medical advice for high blood pressure.

In everyday terms, the research suggests that meditation may make a small contribution to healthier blood-pressure readings for some adults. The findings concern blood pressure specifically; they do not establish other health benefits.

Practical Takeaway

This review suggests that meditation may be linked with small reductions in blood pressure. The clearest results came from standard readings, while findings from monitoring during daily life varied by type of meditation. The research does not show that meditation works for everyone, nor does it establish that meditation alone caused every improvement. It also does not support replacing prescribed care with meditation. For adults interested in meditation, the findings offer a reasonable area for further study, while people with high blood pressure should continue to follow medical advice and treatment.