Benefits for Common Health Problems

by Roger Chalmers, MD

The Transcendental Meditation technique has been widely recommended by doctors for its contribution to prevention of disease, management of common disorders, and promotion of positive health (please see www.askthedoctors.com).

Research and clinical experience have identified benefits of Transcendental Meditation in the management of a range of common clinical problems, including reduction of major risk factors for disease, hypertension, angina, heart failure, asthma, stress-related disorders, migraine, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, and substance misuse. Other studies have also explored TM's contribution to promotion of positive health and well-being, and the enhancement of quality of life for patients with major health problems [9-57, 68-100].

A randomized controlled study found that TM improved functional capacity and quality of life in patients who had been recently hospitalized with congestive heart failure. The TM group also showed reduced depression and had fewer re-hospitalizations [27].

Another controlled study found that Transcendental Meditation improved exercise tolerance in patients with angina pectoris (cardiac pain on exercise). All patients in this study had proven coronary artery disease, mostly of moderate or severe degree, and positive exercise-stress tests. Over an eight-month period, subjects who practised TM showed significant improvements in exercise tolerance and maximum workload achieved during a standard exercise test. In addition, there was a significant delay in the onset of electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial ischaemia (shortage of oxygen in the heart muscle) [26].

British research has shown positive effects of Transcendental Meditation on exercise ECG testing and quality of life in patients with cardiac syndrome X (anginal chest pain, positive response to exercise stress testing, and normal coronary angiogram). Despite a generally good prognosis, this distressing and disabling condition often necessitates expensive and invasive investigations, and recurrent hospital admissions; drug treatment is frequently unsatisfactory [28].

In a controlled study of asthma patients, Transcendental Meditation improved airway resistance and reduced severity of symptoms, as evaluated by both patients and physicians [68].

A number of investigations have reported reduced insomnia and improved quality of sleep as a result of Transcendental Meditation [69-71, 75-76, 79, 193, 227, 324]. Practice of TM is also associated with better periodontal health, a key factor in dental health and also an indicator of general health [84].

In keeping with these results, and with decreased medical care needs and costs (see above) [4-8], several studies have reported reduced use of medication among those who practice Transcendental Meditation, including reduced use of mild analgesics, sleeping tablets, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, anti-histamines, asthma inhalers, anti-hypertensives, and drugs for heart disease [71, 75, 78-79, 305].