According to the results of a study set to be published in the December 2009 issue of the American Journal of Hypertension, transcendental meditation can effectively reduce high blood pressure as well as anxiety, depression, and anger among at-risk college students.
David Haaga, PhD, co-author of the study at American University, said, “The transcendental meditation program, a widely-used standardized program to reduce stress, showed significant decreases in blood pressure and improved mental health in young adults at risk for hypertension.”
Blood pressure, psychological distress, and coping abilities were measured at the beginning of the study and three months into the study by the researchers. 298 college students were made to participate in the study. They received instruction in transcendental meditation or were put on a wait list. The wait list acted as control group. 159 of the total 298 students were at risk of getting hypertension.
At-risk students who practiced transcendental meditation showed very good improvement compared to the control group while measuring blood pressure, stress levels, and coping abilities. The students who practiced transcendental meditation had a reduction of 6.3 mm Hg high blood pressure and 4.0 Hg is low blood pressure. These reductions will help to reduce 52% the chance of getting hypertension in latter stage of life.
Experts estimate that’ million college students have mental health issues. College life is inherently stressful. Students must deal with rapid change, interpersonal and social problems, pressures to succeed, financial strains, and uncertain futures (many of which probably seem gloomy considering the current economic crisis). Statistics show a 50 percent increase in the diagnosis of depression and a 100 percent increase in the use of psychiatric medications among college students over the past decade. In 2007, approximately 15 percent of college students reported having been diagnosed with depression. Surveys show that more college students than ever are seeking psychiatric help to deal with stress. Psychological stress and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression contribute to the development of high blood pressure, even in young adults. College students with blood pressure above the normal range are three times more likely to develop hypertension in later years.
It is found based on research that transcendental meditation is the best way to reduce stress as well as high blood pressure. And it also improve mental health.
Psychological distress such as anxiety, depression, and anger contribute to the development of hypertension in young adults,” said lead author Sanford Nidich, EdD, of the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at the Maharishi University of Management. “This is the first randomized, controlled study to show in young adults at risk for hypertension reductions in blood pressure that were associated with changes in psychological distress and coping.
The research was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the Abramson Family Foundation, and the David Lynch Foundation.
Of course, the economic crisis has increased stress levels for adults already in the workforce (or out of the workforce), too. Increased stress levels lead to increased blood pressure. Approximately one-third of the U.S. adult population suffer from high blood pressure. That’s one out of three Americans! This has certainly reached epidemic proportions.
Americans need to sleep better, eat better, and exercise more. But most Americans are overworked and pressed for time. Who has time for exercise? To deal with this deadly problem, natural health researcher Christian Goodman has developed an easy set of exercises specifically to reduce high blood pressure naturally – no pills, no side effects. Click on the link to learn more about these 3 easy exercises that can lower your blood pressure in as little as 9 minutes a day.
EL331014
Blue Heron Health News is the best published in the field of natural health. One of their latest publications is a method to cure hypertension naturally.
Tags: Health, high blood pressure, hypertension, natural health