Next Avenue Logo
Advertisement

Meditation May Decrease the Risk of Heart Disease

More study is needed to determine if there's a real benefit

By American Heart Association News

(This article appeared previously on the website of the American Heart Association.)

Meditation
Credit: Adobe Stock

Meditation may decrease the risk of heart disease, according to a first-ever statement on the practice issued by the American Heart Association.

But the key word to remember is “may.”

“The research is suggestive, but not definitive,” said Dr. Glenn N. Levine, chairman of the group of cardiovascular disease experts who reviewed recent science to determine whether meditation could help reduce heart disease risks.

The experts found a potential benefit to the heart from meditation, but mostly the small studies were not conclusive.

“Overall, studies of meditation suggest a possible benefit on cardiovascular risk, although the overall quality and in some cases quantity of study data is modest,” said the Sept. 28 statement.

The Research on Meditation and Heart Disease

The committee looked at 57 studies that researched common types of “sitting meditation” and whether the practice had any impact on heart disease.

Some types of meditation included in the research were: Samatha; Vipassana (Insight Meditation); mindful meditation; Zen meditation (Zazen); loving-kindness (Metta); transcendental meditation and relaxation response.

The group excluded studies of meditation that incorporated physical activity — such as yoga or Tai chi — because physical activity itself has been proven to help the heart.

Levine said there is a good deal of research on the effects of meditation on stress, mental health and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. But research is more limited on meditation and heart health.

“Certainly, it would be desirable to have larger trials that follow patients for a longer period of time,” said Levine, a professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

An Ancient Practice

Meditation itself has been around for centuries — at least as early as 5000 B.C.

Advertisement

It is associated with Eastern philosophies and religion, including Buddhism and Hinduism, although references or inferences regarding meditation and the meditative process also can be found in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

In recent decades, meditation started becoming increasingly secular and a therapeutic activity, used by practitioners to help with focus, self-awareness and stress relief.

Jeff Breece of Columbus, Ohio, has been meditating about 20 to 30 minutes each day. He uses it as an adjunct therapy to help calm the panic attacks he suffered after having a heart attack in 2015. He said he finds it helps him feel calmer and allows him to observe his anxiety without reacting to it.

“After my heart attack, I felt like it defined me,” Breece said. “Meditating helped me to get my life back. It helps me observe the moments.”

Patients Interested in Meditation

Eight percent of U.S. adults practice some form of meditation, according to a National Health Interview Survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics in 2012. In addition, 17 percent of all cardiovascular disease patients surveyed expressed interest in participating in a clinical trial of meditation.

But until more research does come, patients should adhere to proven cardiovascular disease therapies and use meditation only as an additional boost toward cardiovascular health.

“Meditation should be considered as a potential lifestyle modification, but should not be used to replace standard and proven treatments such as smoking cessation, blood pressure control and treatment of high cholesterol levels,” Levine said.

Join a discussion about meditation and CVD with heart disease and stroke survivors on the AHA Support Network.

By American Heart Association News

The American Heart Association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Founded by six cardiologists in 1924, our organization now includes more than 22.5 million volunteers and supporters. We fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide critical tools and information to save and improve lives. Our nationwide organization includes 156 local offices and more than 3,000 employees. We moved our national headquarters from New York to Dallas in 1975 to be more centrally located. The American Stroke Association was created as a division in 1997 to bring together the organization's stroke-related activities.

Advertisement
Next Avenue LogoMeeting the needs and unleashing the potential of older Americans through media
©2024 Next AvenuePrivacy PolicyTerms of Use
A nonprofit journalism website produced by:
TPT Logo