Research Spotlight
The databases often return hundreds of medical studies for a single wellness approach. This section summarizes a sampling of five studies – providing just a taste of the available research.
- Mindfulness Meditation Offers Real Pain Relief; Not a Placebo
Mindfulness meditation, used for pain management in various cultures for centuries, has long been thought to work by activating the placebo response. However, a 2024 study from University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers showed that this appears not to be the case: the practice engages separate neural pathways from the well-documented “placebo effect.” The researchers used advanced brain imaging techniques to compare the pain-reducing effects of mindfulness meditation, a placebo cream, and a “sham” mindfulness meditation (deep breathing). Findings: mindfulness meditation produced significant reductions in pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings, and also reduced brain activity patterns associated with pain and negative emotions. Access this study on meditation - Meditation as Effective as Common Medication for Anxiety Disorder
A first-ever study in JAMA Psychiatry (2022) compared medication to meditation for generalized anxiety disorder, finding the two methods work equally well at reducing symptoms. Half of the study participants were given an antidepressant commonly prescribed for anxiety (Lexapro), while the other half participated in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Both groups reported a 20% reduction in symptoms. Side effects were far more common for the antidepressant group (nearly 80% reported at least one), while the mindfulness program was time-intensive, involving twice weekly 2 1/2-hour group classes, one full day at a meditation retreat, and recommendations to meditate for 45 minutes each day for the entire two-month study period. Access this study on meditation - A Week of Intense Meditation Caused Positive Changes to Immune SystemA 2022 University of Florida study found that meditation done at an intense level caused diverse positive changes in participants’ immune systems. The meditation experience studied was certainly intense: an 8-day retreat with 10-hour daily meditation sessions all conducted in silence. Those retreat participants saw robust activation of their immune systems, with positive changes in 220 immune-related genes–but without activating inflammatory signals. Access this study on meditation
- 6 Months of Meditation Training Significantly Reduces Cortisol Secretion and Systemic StressA 2021 study from Germany’s Max Planck Institute showed that daily meditation training for 3 to 6 months significantly reduces the long-term stress load of healthy adults. The study was unique for measuring the levels of cortisone (the cortisol–stress hormone–accumulation in hair)–and found that after 6 months, the amount of cortisol in participants’ hair dropped 25%. The study also provides evidence that the typical 8-week training period of Western mindfulness-based stress reduction programs need to be longer. Access this study on meditation
- “Spiritual Fitness” Reduces Alzheimer’s RiskA 2021 review of studies in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that “spiritual fitness,” a new concept in medicine interweaving psychological and spiritual wellbeing, reduces multiple risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Individuals with high scores on a “purpose in life” (PIL) were 2.4 times more likely to remain free of AD than individuals with low PIL—and Kirtan Kriya, a 12-minute meditative practice, has great potential in reducing AD risk factors. Access this study on meditation
- With Meditation, the Instructor and Group Outweigh Amount or Type PracticedAn interesting new study from Brown University dispels any myth that positive outcomes from mindfulness-based meditation come exclusively from the practice because the more active ingredient seems to be the social factor of the instructor and the group. It’s one of the first studies to look at the role of relationships in meditation programs, and the person-to-person factors led to a more positive impact on depression and anxiety than the amount or type of meditation practiced. The researchers noted that it leads to questions about meditation programs offered via apps. Access this study on meditation
- Meditation Associated with Powerful Heart Benefits
A large, 2020 observational study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that meditating was associated with a 35% lower risk of high cholesterol, a 14% lower risk of high blood pressure, a 30% lower risk of diabetes, a 24% lower risk of stroke, and a 49% lower risk of coronary artery disease. Access this study on meditation
