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.

Employers urged to find new ways to address workers’ mental health

In the middle of a work project at a global corporate consulting firm, Katherine Switz was gripped with a debilitating bout of anxiety. Her body froze, her heart raced, her chest tightened, and her mind went blank, which made it nearly impossible for her to concentrate on a computer screen and do her work.

19 Jul 2019

Cedars-Sinai expert urges physicians and patients to manage pain without addictive pills

As the opioid epidemic continues to claim lives and shatter families across the nation, a Cedars-Sinai expert is urging physicians and patients to try managing pain without the addictive pills.

17 Jun 2019

Cancer patients share survivorship story, celebrate strength and self-care

To survive in his struggle against an aggressive form of prostate cancer, Bin McLaurin didn't only have to overcome the disease attacking his body. He said he also had to toss out his long-held image of masculinity.

16 Jun 2019

Dermatologist offers tips to help vitiligo patients care for their skin

Millions of people worldwide have vitiligo, a condition that causes the skin to lose its natural color, resulting in patches of light skin.

12 Jun 2019

Mindfulness may reduce depression symptoms for mothers with opioid use disorder

Mothers with opioid use disorder face many challenges as they work towards a more stable life for themselves and their children, depression not least among them.

21 May 2019

Study: People with combat-related mTBI have high levels of abnormally fast brain waves

A new study funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Navy finds that veterans and service members with a history of combat-related mild traumatic brain injury--compared with those in a control group--have much higher levels of abnormally fast brain waves in a region that plays a key role in consciousness.

10 May 2019

Veterans, active-duty service members with PTSD and mTBI have larger amygdalas, finds study

A new study finds that veterans and active-duty service members with combat-related PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury had larger amygdalas--the region of the brain that processes such emotions as fear, anxiety, and aggression--than those with only brain injuries.

30 Apr 2019

Men who have a resting heart rate of 75 bpm are twice as likely to die early

Having a resting heart rate of 75 beats per minute (bpm) during middle-age may double the risk for early death, according to new research.

17 Apr 2019

Study to compare benefits of tai chi and mindfulness meditation on MS symptoms

Kinesiology researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have received funding to compare the effects of tai chi and mindfulness meditation on both the physical balance and psychosocial well-being of people with multiple sclerosis.

17 Apr 2019

Statins provide no benefit for 50 percent of patients, say researchers

Millions of patients do not benefit from taking statins and fail to achieve a cholesterol level low enough to reduce their risk of heart or stroke, report researchers.

16 Apr 2019

Stress-related disorders increase risk of cardiovascular disease by 60%

A new study has found that stress-related disorders are associated with an increased risk for multiple types of cardiovascular disease, including atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries).

15 Apr 2019

Study estimates how many cancer patients and survivors use complementary, alternative medicines

This study used data from a nationwide survey to estimate how many patients with cancer and cancer survivors use complementary and alternative medicines in addition to or instead of conventional therapies, and how many don't disclose that to their physicians.

12 Apr 2019

One-third of people with cancer use complementary and alternative medicines

A stunning one-third of people with a cancer diagnosis use complementary and alternative medicines such as meditation, yoga, acupuncture, herbal medicine, and supplements.

12 Apr 2019

Study finds link between depression in 20s linked to memory loss in 50s

A new large-scale longitudinal study carried out by University of Sussex psychologists has found a clear link between episodes of depression and anxiety experienced by adults in their twenties, thirties and forties, with a decrease in memory function by the time they are in their fifties.

21 Mar 2019

Mental health of students could be improved by introducing mindfulness training

Mental health amongst university students could be improved by introducing mindfulness training. These are the findings from the first UK study, published in Education Research International, to measure the efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on students.

11 Mar 2019

California looks to lead nation in unraveling childhood trauma

Imagine identifying a toxin so potent it could rewire a child's brain and erode his immune system. A substance that, in high doses, tripled the risk of heart disease and lung cancer and reduced life expectancy by 20 years.

6 Mar 2019

Self-care techniques should be first line of treatment for patients with facial pain, suggests study

While oral appliances such as splints and bite guards are the most common treatment for facial pain from temporomandibular disorders, patients rate them as less helpful than self-care treatments, such as jaw exercises or warm compresses, finds a new study by researchers at NYU College of Dentistry.

5 Feb 2019

Study finds significant use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers who have undertaken the first systematic review of into the use of traditional, complementary and alternative medicines in Sub-Saharan Africa found its use is significant and not just because of a lack of resources or access to "conventional medicine".

18 Dec 2018

Study discovers link between meditation and how individuals respond to feedback

In a new study in the Journal of Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience researchers from the University of Surrey have discovered a link between meditation and how individuals respond to feedback.

11 Dec 2018

Study investigates how mindfulness meditation reduces emotional reactivity

In a randomized controlled trial of 134 mildly stressed, middle-aged to older adults, participants who were assigned to a six-week mindfulness-meditation training program experienced significantly reduced negative affect variability—which refers to subjective distress and includes a range of mood states such as worry, anxiety, anger, self-criticism, and life dissatisfaction—compared with participants assigned to a waitlist control.

22 Nov 2018