Meditation News and Research

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The term meditation refers to a variety of techniques or practices intended to focus or control attention. Most of them are rooted in Eastern religious or spiritual traditions. These techniques have been used by many different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years.

Today, many people use meditation outside of its traditional religious or cultural settings as a form of mind-body medicine. Many claims have been made about its value in promoting or improving health and wellness.

Mindfulness practices ease depression among pregnant women

Pregnant women with histories of major depression are about 40 percent less likely to relapse into depression if they practice mindfulness techniques--such as meditation, breathing exercises and yoga--along with cognitive therapy, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.

21 Nov 2014

Smart drug Modafinil can impair cognitive performance in healthy students

It is claimed one in five students have taken the 'smart' drug Modafinil to boost their ability to study and improve their chances of exam success.

14 Nov 2014

Study reveals impact of meditation, support groups at cellular level in breast cancer survivors

For the first time, researchers have shown that practising mindfulness meditation or being involved in a support group has a positive physical impact at the cellular level in breast cancer survivors.

4 Nov 2014

Helping children understand Ebola

It dominates the headlines and is striking fear and panic in many communities around the world, Ebola. The constant barrage of information and so much unknown can be especially difficult for children, making it all the more important for parents to help their kids feel safe and to have a dialogue with them at the appropriate developmental level.

23 Oct 2014

Thirteen research projects to explore nondrug approaches to manage pain, other health conditions

Thirteen research projects totaling approximately $21.7 million over 5 years will explore nondrug approaches to managing pain and related health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug abuse, and sleep issues. The effort seeks to enhance options for the management of pain and associated problems in U.S. military personnel, veterans, and their families.

26 Sep 2014

People who practice yoga, meditation long term can learn to control computer with their minds

New research by biomedical engineers at the University of Minnesota shows that people who practice yoga and meditation long term can learn to control a computer with their minds faster and better than people with little or no yoga or meditation experience.

26 Sep 2014

Reducing insomnia can decrease inflammation, lower risk for chronic disease in older adults

Lack of sleep can make you sick. And while everybody has the occasional restless night, for those who suffer from chronic insomnia — some 15 percent of older adults in the United States — that sleep loss can increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, hypertension, weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and even lead to an earlier death.

18 Sep 2014

Benefits and risks of hatha yoga for people with bipolar disorder

Right now no one can say whether yoga provides clinical benefits to people with bipolar disorder, but in a new article in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, researchers report survey responses they gathered from scores of people with the condition who practice yoga. What the collective testimony suggests is that yoga can be a substantial help, but it sometimes carries risks, too.

18 Sep 2014

Breathing-based meditation practice can be effective treatment for PTSD

One of the greatest casualties of war is its lasting effect on the minds of soldiers. This presents a daunting public health problem: More than 20 percent of veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a 2012 report by RAND Corp.

12 Sep 2014

Yoga program for MS patients improves physical and mental well-being

Paula Meltzer was only 38 when out of nowhere everything she looked at was blurry. For the single mother, who had a lucrative career as a gemologist and spent hours examining valuable pieces of jewelry, it seemed as if - in a split second - her life changed.

3 Sep 2014

Hatha yoga improves sedentary older adults' cognitive performance

Practicing hatha yoga three times a week for eight weeks improved sedentary older adults' performance on cognitive tasks that are relevant to everyday life, researchers report.

19 Aug 2014

Vajrayana meditation linked with Tibetan Buddhism can enhance cognitive performance

Contrary to popular belief, not all meditation techniques produce similar effects of body and mind. Indeed, a recent study by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has demonstrated for the first time that different types of Buddhist meditation - namely the Vajrayana and Theravada styles of meditation - elicit qualitatively different influences on human physiology and behaviour, producing arousal and relaxation responses respectively.

13 Aug 2014

Study: Nervous system and stress affect inflammatory skin conditions

Anyone who's had a pimple form right before an important event may wonder if stress caused the break out.

7 Aug 2014

New treatment plan could reduce need for antihypertensive drugs

It truly could be mind over matter after all. University Hospitals Case Medical Center's Richard Josephson, MD, recently released trial results in a study published in Psychosomatic Medicine that discusses mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for hypertension.

5 Aug 2014

MD Anderson partners with HIAE to address cancer burden in Brazil

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has announced a partnership with Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein to pioneer multidisciplinary patient care in Brazil and advance MD Anderson's mission to eliminate cancer globally.

5 Aug 2014

Caffeine intake may aggravate hot flashes and night sweats in postmenopausal women

A new Mayo Clinic study, published online today by the journal Menopause, found an association between caffeine intake and more bothersome hot flashes and night sweats in postmenopausal women.

24 Jul 2014

Peer-led interventions can reduce depression and anxiety in mothers of kids with autism

Peer-led interventions that target parental well-being can significantly reduce stress, depression and anxiety in mothers of children with disabilities, according to new findings released today in the journal Pediatrics.

22 Jul 2014

Mother's nurturing role directly molds early neural activity of her offsprings' brain

By carefully watching nearly a hundred hours of video showing mother rats protecting, warming, and feeding their young pups, and then matching up what they saw to real-time electrical readings from the pups' brains, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have found that the mother's presence and social interactions - her nurturing role - directly molds the early neural activity and growth of her offsprings' brain.

18 Jul 2014

Helix Healthcare Group offers individualized treatment for substance abuse, addiction, mental health issues

Helix Healthcare Group is the first integrated facility in Canada to offer a highly individualized approach in the treatment of substance abuse, addiction and mental health issues.

11 Jun 2014

Research investigates effect of mindfulness training on college football players

The University of Miami Hurricanes football program will partner with UM neuroscientist Dr. Amishi Jha for an innovative research study to investigate how mindfulness training can help football players better cope with the high stakes and high demands of collegiate athletics.

5 Jun 2014