Transcendental meditation has “at least as great” a health benefit as other methods of reducing levels, according to a study by the University of Kentucky. This may lead to some patients stopping their medication.
The Transcendental Meditation programme was established in the 1960s to teach transcendental meditation to westerners. For around 20 minutes, participants repeat a mantra. The mind is being settled while you enter a deep state of relaxation.
Dr James Anderson, professor of medicine at the University of Kentucky and co-author of the study, explained: “The magnitude of the changes in blood pressure with the transcendental meditation technique are at least as great as the changes found with major changes in diet or exercise that doctors often recommend. Yet the transcendental meditation technique does not require changes in lifestyle”.