Benefits Extend Across All Age Groups
By Vernon Barnes, Ph.D., Assistant Research Scientist
It is well known that the Transcendental Meditation program is the most widely researched standardized meditation technique for stress reduction. In our research we have been examining impact of the Transcendental Meditation technique on blood pressure and other cardiovascular outcomes and these findings have been published in number of peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Our research has shown that stress reduction via Transcendental Meditation may offer benefit for reducing cardiovascular mortality risk in high-risk older individuals. Increased peripheral vasoconstriction (i.e., total peripheral resistance) has been implicated as playing an important role in the early development of hypertension. It is well known that regular practice of Transcendental Meditation lowers blood pressure. In order to better understand the mechanism for this finding, in a study on middle-aged adults, we demonstrated that decreases in vasoconstrictive tone during the practice of Transcendental Meditation may be a hemodynamic mechanism responsible for reduction of high blood pressure over time.
Our studies with adolescents at-risk for hypertension indicate a beneficial impact of Transcendental Meditation upon cardiovascular functioning both at rest and during acute laboratory stress. Significant decreases in resting blood pressure were observed, as well as decreases in hemodynamic reactivity to stress. In addition, we have observed lowering of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure outside of the clinic in the natural environment in adolescents practicing the TM technique.
Our findings with adolescents also demonstrate that the Transcendental Meditation program conducted in the school setting has a beneficial impact upon reducing problems of anger expression, absenteeism, and suspension rates due to negative school behaviors.
In summary, the evidence suggests that positive benefits of Transcendental Meditation for cardiovascular health extend across all age groups from adolescence through middle age to the elderly years.
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