In a new study, researchers found new evidence that meditation is linked to lower cardiovascular risk.
The research was conducted by Veterans Affairs scientists and colleagues.
Previous studies have suggested that meditation may have beneficial effects on a number of conditions.
A 2017 American Heart Association scientific statement suggests that meditation may be of benefit for cardiovascular risk reduction.
Data show that it may help with blood pressure, cholesterol level, quitting smoking, and overall cardiovascular health. However, this connection is far from definitive.
By using a large national database with many participants, the team sought further evidence on how meditation impacts cardiovascular risk.
They analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey, conducted annually by the National Center for Health Statistics. It collects information on a wide range of health topics from a nationally representative sample.
The researchers looked at data on more than 61,000 survey participants. Of those, almost 6,000 (nearly 10%) said they participated in some form of meditation.
They found that people who meditated had lower rates of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and coronary artery disease, compared with those who did not meditate.
The greatest difference was in coronary artery disease. Those who meditated were 51% as likely as those who didn’t to have the disease.
The prevalence of other cardiovascular risks in the meditation group compared with the non-meditation group was 65% for high cholesterol, 70% for diabetes, 76% for stroke, and 86% for high blood pressure.
Many types of meditation exist. Most focus on attention and awareness. Meditation has been shown to increase physical and mental relaxation.
The team says meditation can give people a sense of calm, peace, and stress reduction, leading to the improvement of our emotional well-being.
Practicing meditation has been linked to decreased stress, greater mindfulness, and improved psychological health.
It may even lead to long-term functional and anatomical changes in the brain. Meditation is also simple, cost-effective, and low-risk.
One author of the study is Dr. Chayakrit Krittanawong from the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine.
The study is published in the American Journal of Cardiology.
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