Meditation Study Shows Life Gains
(HealthDayNews, 5/2/05)

Dr. Robert Schneider of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, and colleagues, analyzed data on 202 adults with slightly elevated blood pressure who were past participants in studies comparing Transcendental Meditation (TM) to a behavioral technique, like “mindfulness” or to health education. The subjects had been tracked for more than 18 years and the investigators used death records to update the data. The scientists found that people who practiced TM had increased longevity, exhibiting a 23 % decrease in overall death rate, a 30% reduction in death from cardiovascular disease and a 49 % drop in death from cancer. The researchers say that TM, which promotes “restful alertness,” produces neurological changes that result in lower blood pressure, less stress hormones and improved psychological health, all of which may contribute to longer life.

(American Journal of Cardiology, May 2, 2005)