Blood pressure and meditation

A small study of patients with borderline high blood pressure found that meditation helped improve the condition, according to research from Kent State University. The study, of 56 patients with pre-hypertension - elevated blood pressure between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg - involved the use of a combination of meditation, body awareness and gentle yoga which has been shown to be effective in treating some forms of chronic pain and in reducing anxiety. Patients in the study practiced the meditation, body awareness and yoga combination for eight weeks, led by an instructor for 2 ½ hours a week and up to an hour a day on their own. They were compared to pre-hypertensive patients who received another therapy, called progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tensing and then relaxing muscle groups in a prescribed order. Although this is not a treatment for high blood pressure, it is considered a credible placebo to compare with the targeted treatment, the researchers said. Those who used the meditation, body awareness and yoga combination lowered their blood pressure measurements - an average drop of 4.8 points for the systolic blood pressure or “top” number, and an average drop of 1.9 points for the diastolic, or “bottom” number - which is comparable to modified diet and exercise programs, the study authors noted.