High blood pressure affects 77.9 million American adults—and of that number, only half have it under control. If untreated, high blood pressure can lead to heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease among other things.
In fact, high blood pressure is so prevalent and powerful that it was listed as the primary or contributing cause of death in around 14.5% of 2009 deaths. Medication is expensive, and dieting can be as well, but there may be a simple, free solution for the problem of high blood pressure: meditation.
There are many different types of meditation, but two seem more prominent in regards to blood pressure studies: transcendental meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Transcendental meditation (TM) involves the repetition of a mantra while MBSR involves focusing on the breath and on various parts of the body.
Lower your blood pressure and your stress
Both kinds are linked with the reduction of high blood pressure—and are highly researched, with over 300 studies completed in the past few decades. For example, a 2012 study of 201 subjects showed that African Americans with heart disease who practiced TM regularly for five years had lowered blood pressure, stress, and anger as compared to those who only attended a health education class. Further, they were 48% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
MSBR was developed in 1979 at UMass, and has been researched for decades. Like TM, it is useful for a whole host of problems, but also has been indicated for blood pressure reduction. For example, a 2013 study showed MSBR to lower the blood pressure levels of pre-hypertensive patients.
Researchers believe that the deep rest achieved through TM can trigger biochemical changes that help the body self-repair. One possible mechanism was discovered in a 2014 study, in which patients meditating showed a reduction in the size of their amygdalas—a brain area involved in the stress and fear reactions that raise blood pressure.
Should you drop your medication and start meditating right now? No, probably not a great idea, as it takes some time for these brain changes to occur. However, it is definitely a worthwhile addition to any blood pressure-lowering plan. As Richard A. Stein, professor of medicine and director of the exercise and nutrition program at New York University’s Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, told the American Heart Association, “Think of it as a 20- or 30-minute vacation from the stress in your life.”
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