In a surprising study conducted by the Medical College of Wisconsin, heart disease patients who practiced meditation proved to be a shocking 48% less likely to experience heart attack, stroke, or death than their non-meditating peers. Since Herbert Benson began documenting “white coat hypertension,” cardiologists have reasoned a link between stress and heart health, but there has been little research on the most effective ways to reduce stress to improve the cardiovascular system. This study, lead by Dr. Robert Schneider, showed that meditators also reduced stress, lowered their blood pressure and reported less anger and frustration.
“We hypothesized that reducing stress by managing the mind-body connection would help improve rates of [heart] disease… It appears that …meditation is a technique that turns on the body’s own pharmacy– to repair and maintain itself,” said Dr. Schneider. Although the participants in this study had all been diagnosed with heart disease, Dr. Schneider extrapolates that “meditation may reduce heart disease risks for healthy people” as well. He recommends that physicians prescribe meditation for heart health.
Meditation and guided imagery offer a myriad of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Learn more about how this quiet practice can help manage your health and otherwise improve your life with these selections:
