When’s the last time you had your blood pressure checked? Was it normal?
For one in every three American adults, it’s not. And the scariest part? High blood pressure can increase our risk of heart attack, stroke, dementia, and organ damage.
But, could mindfulness have an impact on lowering blood pressure?
Led by Joel Hughes, PhD, a team of researchers at Kent State University wanted to see whether mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) could help people with prehypertension reduce their blood pressure.
For the study, the researchers randomly placed participants with unmediated hypertension into one of two
groups: an experimental group or an active control group. The experimental group received MBSR while the active
control group received progressive muscle relaxation (PMR).
For eight weeks, the experimental group got one 2.5-hour MBSR session per week, and was instructed to do 45
minutes of mindfulness practice a day at home. The PMR control group did one 2.5-hour PMR session per week and 45 minutes of PMR practice per day at home.
After these eight weeks, results showed significant decreases in clinic systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the experimental (MBSR) group.
What’s more, these results were very similar to those resulting from drugs used to treat hypertension, which means MBSR could be a viable alternative.
Now, while these results are promising, we do need to take into account that the sample size was small. Plus, the homework data was collected via self-report, a method that doesn’t always yield fully accurate results.
More research is needed, but this study suggests that mindfulness practice can be an effective way to reduce blood pressure (and along with it, the risk of stroke or heart attack).
To find out more about the impact that mindfulness practices can have on physical and mental health, check out our courses on mindfulness. We’ve gathered some of the top experts in the field to share their wisdom and give you practical ways to apply mindfulness in your life and work.
And you can find out more about this study in Volume 75, Issue 8 of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine.
How has mindfulness helped you (or one of your clients) make a change in health or lifestyle? Please leave a comment below.
I have high blood pressure (controlled through medication). I also had chronic headache and migraine which I have managed to control following starting a mindfulness meditation practice (and also less pain killer usage and no longer tracking my headaches). I have been getting very dizzy lately and have started checking my bp at home and found it is much lower than it used to be. I feel this could be due to less headaches (pain), less drugs and the mindfulness. I plan to see my doctor next week to see if we can scale down my bp medication.
Great to see research in this area.
As a nurse experienced in the care of those with high BP ( and therefore increased risk of cardiovascular disease) and a teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction I am so pleased to see more and more empirical data coming out. Of course we can also add common sense to this picture when we understand some of the subtle yet profound and sustainable changes to lifestyle that MBSR creates.So not only is the BP coming down and thus decreasing risk but additionally there is a positive effect on self-motivated changes to other risk factors. Most if not all of the participants on my courses made changes to their lifestyle which were borne from their own desire to then begin to take better care of themselves and their bodies.
Victoria Proudley RN PgDip
MBST Teacher
downtoearthmindfulness.com
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Hello Ruth,
Thanks for sharing this study. For those readers who are nurses supporting mindfulness practices, this is very helpful.
Hello,
Could you tell about the results of PMR group?
Where these results significant worse / better… etc?
I think the comparisson makes this research strong. And I am curious about the differences in results.
Thanks! Divya
I searched the internet for Psychosomatic Magazine and couldn’t find it. Most journals have some reference somewhere.
Hi Janet,
Thank you so much for letting us know. We have updated the journal name to be correct. We hope you find it helpful.
Yes, Yes, Yes, we were doing this years ago to control autonomic processes in the body, including heart rate, blood pressure, and to induce healing in damaged areas of the body. etc. Thanks for the reminder. I forget that we are in charge of are health and have the non surgical, non pharmacological means to heal ourselves and live in optimum health. Phil
I am a strong supporter of mindfulness for lowering blood pressure. I have used this method of bringing down both my systolic and diastolic blood pressure ever since you started the programs of mindfullness. Usually my blood pressure spikes upward in the morning. Now through around 10 minutes of mindful thinking I can bring down blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) as much as 40 points within those few minutes. It is best if I check periodically during the day to see if it has gone up again and another therapy session is needed. Retired counseling psychologist, Surprise, Arizona – U.S.A. Audrey Dienelt
Human understanding the body , mind and its functioning and balancing all these in harmony withe nature and surroundings , be it human , animals, trees, pets and the climate,weather and above all the seasons and its changes. We have to learn to live withese changes and daily make required changes and adaptation and adjustment in regards to our thinking, behavior, and food and what we believe and talk with friends, peoples around and other situations. Mindfulness means to me is a way of daily adaptation and cope up with the changes we face.
Goodluck to all who can face all these with courage, convictions and huble thiking in the eyes of the Nature.
ramesh C. Deka , AIIMS , New Delhi
The research work appears very interesting and it has shown valid results in understanding the facts behind hypertension, related causes of hypertension and prehypertension factors causing stress and as to how we can practice mindful thinking and action at work place, home and society, even in schools as many young children are seen to have suffered from hypertension in India along with obesity and internet behavior and absence of exercises. We must encourage mindful meditation , work and walking,sports and above all freedom to think and practice of surrendering to the nature and we may make everyday build newer methods of perceptiond of facts and remodify our our thinking and acting upon our work, with humility and flexibility. These things do help bringing happiness and longevity to life. Human capabilities are enormous and we only need to use and practice these with mindfulness and with a thinking mind. Professor Ramesh Chandra deka , AIIMS , New delhi, India .