New research reveals the TM technique to be most effective 

A new scientific research study conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine provides further evidence that people with high blood pressure can find relief through meditation—but the study also found that not all forms of meditation are equally effective. The study compared findings from research on several well-known types of meditation and relaxation practices, and found that the only mind/body practice that produces significant changes in blood pressure is the Transcendental Meditation technique.

According to a definitive new meta-analysis of 107 previous studies on stress reduction programs and high blood pressure, published in the American Journal of Hypertension (Vol. 21, 3: 310-316), the Transcendental Meditation technique was found to produce a statistically significant reduction in high blood pressure—an effect not found with other forms of relaxation, meditation, biofeedback or stress management.

Significant Reductions in Blood Pressure
The new meta-analysis reviewed randomized, controlled trials published in peer-reviewed scientific journals over the past decades concerning stress reduction and relaxation methods used by participants with high blood pressure. Blood pressure changes through the Transcendental Meditation technique included average reductions of 5.0 points of systolic and 2.8 points of diastolic blood pressure, changes which were statistically significant, according to the review. These changes associated with Transcendental Meditation practice were consistent with other controlled studies showing reductions in cardiovascular risk factors, improved markers of heart disease, and reduced mortality rates among participants in the Transcendental Meditation program.

Transcendental Meditation technique “equivalent to adding a second hypertensive agent”
"The magnitude of the changes in blood pressure with the Transcendental Meditation technique are at least as great as the changes found with major changes in diet or exercise that doctors often recommend," said Dr. James Anderson, principal author of the study. "Yet the Transcendental Meditation technique does not require changes in lifestyle. Thus many patients with mild hypertension or prehypertension may be able to avoid the need to take blood pressure medications—all of which have adverse side effects. Individuals with more severe forms of hypertension may be able to reduce the number or dosages of their BP medications under the guidance of their doctor.”

Dr. Anderson stated further: “Adding Transcendental Meditation is about equivalent to adding a second hypertensive agent to one's current regiment, only safer and less troublesome.”

Reduced Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke
Anderson added that long-term changes in blood pressure of this magnitude are associated with at least a 15 percent reduction in rates of heart attack and stroke. "This is important to everyone because cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S. and worldwide," Anderson said. The study's biostatistician, Maxwell Rainforth, assistant professor of Physiology and Health Statistics at Maharishi University of Management, said the meta-analysis used state-of-the-art statistical methods to review 107 published studies in the field of stress reduction, relaxation and blood pressure. "The twenty-three separate studies included in the final analysis met well-known criteria for high scientific quality. That is, these studies used repeated blood pressure measurements and participants were randomized to either a stress reduction technique or placebo-type control for at least eight weeks. The data we used are all published in peer-reviewed scientific journals," Rainforth said.

Side Benefits of TM vs. side effects of drugs
According to Dr. Robert Schneider, director of the Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention and co-author, this rigorously conducted meta-analysis indicates that the Transcendental Meditation technique is distinctively effective compared to other scientifically studied techniques in lowering high blood pressure. "For those 100 million Americans with elevated blood pressure, here is a scientifically documented, yet simple and easy way to lower blood pressure without drugs and harmful side effects. In addition, related studies show an integrated set of positive 'side benefits,' such as reduced stress, reduced heart disease levels and longer lifespan with this technique to restore balance in the cardiovascular system, mind and body," Schneider said.

Overturns a previous study on meditation
The new meta-analysis was co-authored by researchers at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, in Louisville, and at the NIH-funded Institute of Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Iowa.

According to Dr. Anderson, the findings of this new study rebut a July 2007 report sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the NIH-National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which concluded that most research on meditation is low quality and found little evidence that any specific stress reduction effectively lowers blood pressure.

The new meta-analysis identified all high quality meditation studies published through 2006 and rigorously analyzed their results, which the previous government report failed to do. Anderson said the new meta-analysis includes only high quality studies on all available stress reduction interventions. The studies on the Transcendental Meditation technique were conducted at five independent universities and medical institutions, and the majority of them were funded by competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Gary P. Kaplan, M.D., Ph.D., is a neurologist and associate professor of clinical neurology at New York University School of Medicine.

Transcendental Meditation technique buffers students against college stress: New Study

College is a great challenge for most students, many of whom are making major life decisions for the first time. Attending an institution of higher learning is expected to contribute to a student’s personal growth and intellectual development, but research in neuroscience has raised the alarming possibility that the reverse can also be true. Pressure to perform, social frustrations, financial burdens, interrupted sleep, alcohol and drug abuse—in other words, the typical college life—can leave its mark on the functioning of the student’s brain, resulting in elevated anxiety levels and cognitive deterioration. [1]

The good news: according to a new research study published in the February 24 issue of the peer-reviewed International Journal of Psychophysiology, meditation is helping students deal with stress and reverse its negative effects on the brain.

The Research Study:
In January 2006 at American University in Washington, DC, a team of researchers—including members of AU faculty—began investigating brain function, cognitive development and overall health of 298 college students in the Washington area. Fifty of these students volunteered for a 10-week sub-study, and were randomly assigned to learn the Transcendental Meditation technique.

The study took place during one of the most stressful times in the student calendar, the 10 weeks leading up to final's week in the Spring term. The results indicate that practice of the Transcendental
Meditation technique significantly improved student brain function and reaction to stress. Those not practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique showed decreased brain function and other
measures of decline, such as increases in sleepiness and impaired recovery from stress. Research methods included EEG brainwave analysis combined to form a Brain Integration Scale, and other empirically identified measures.

“The pressures of college can be overwhelming—44% of college students binge drink, 37% report use illegal drugs, 19% report clinical depression, and 13% report high levels of anxiety,” says Fred Travis, the study’s lead author.

Travis said the control data from the study showed the detrimental effects that college life can inflict on students. “The non-meditating control group had more fragmented brain functioning and corresponding fragmented thinking and planning, along with increased sympathetic reactivity, sleepiness, anxiety, worry and irritability.”

Brain researchers tell us that under high stress, the brain downshifts to a stimulus/response [3] mode—associated with the so-called "fight or flight" response—and that high psychosocial stress can trigger this response, resulting in impaired memory and increased anxiety and aggression. "The stress response is a normal response to prepare for emergency situations," said Travis. "However, if the system is not allowed to recover from stressful experiences, the stress response may not turn off or may get triggered even by mild experiences." [4]

In contrast, Transcendental Meditation practice appeared to buffer the effects of high stress. "Previous research has shown that the brain's frontal areas are activated during Transcendental Meditation," said Travis. "We now understand that enlivening the brain's frontal areas—which are responsible for planning and guiding one’s behavior—leads to better decision making and lifestyle choices. From pretest to posttest, Brain Integration scores significantly increased in students practicing TM, indicating better planning and thinking and healthier perception of the world. Sympathetic reactivity and sleepiness decreased, indicating greater emotional balance and alertness. These statistically significant results in college students suggest that the practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique is valuable for anyone in an intensely challenging work or learning environment.”

The study was a collaboration between the Psychology Department at American University in Washington, D.C., and the Center for Brain, Consciousness, and Cognition at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. This was the first random-assignment clinical study on the effects of the Transcendental Meditation Technique on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students.

The Transcendental Meditation technique is easy to learn, simple to practice, and requires no belief or lifestyle change. Practiced 15-20 minutes twice a day, the TM technique does not take years to master, nor does it involve concentration or contemplation. Past studies have shown that TM brings faster recovery from sleep deprivation, improved memory and increased clarity of thought. The Transcendental Meditation technique may prove to be an ideal antidote to the college lifestyle.


* Travis, F. et al., Effects of Transcendental Meditation practice on brain functioning and stress reactivity in college students, Int. J. Psychophysiology. [2008], doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2008.09.007

1 Arnedt, J.T., Owens, J., Crouch, M., Stahl, J., Carskadon, M.A., 2005. Neurobehavioral
performance of residents after heavy night call vs after alcohol ingestion. JAMA 294, 1025–1033.
2 Caine, R.N., Caine, G., 1991. Making connections: Teaching and the
Human Brain. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Va.
4 McEwen, B.S., 2006a. Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators: central role of the brain. Dialogues Clin. Neurosci. 8, 367–381.

McEwen, B.S., 2006b. Sleep deprivation as a neurobiologic and physiologic stressor: allostasis and allostatic load. Metabolism 55, S20–S23.

5 Dillbeck and Bronson, 1981; Gaylord et al.,1989; Travis, 2002; Travis et al., 2002]

6 Fergusson L.C. Field Independence and art achievement in meditating
and nonmeditating college students. Perceptual and Motor Skills 75: 1171-1175, 1992.
Kember P. The Transcendental Meditation technique and postgraduate academic performance. British Journal of Educational Psychology 55: 164-166, 1985.

7 Alexander C.N., et al. Transcendental Meditation, self-actualization, and psychological health: A conceptual overview and statistical meta-analysis. Journal of Social Behavior and
Personality 6: 189-247, 1991.

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Transcendental Meditation Reduces ADHD Symptoms Among Students: New Study

Dissatisfaction with medication spurs interest in meditation


The Transcendental Meditation technique may be an effective and safe non-pharmaceutical aid for treating ADHD, according to a promising new study published this month in the peer-reviewed online journal Current Issues in Education. 

The pilot study followed a group of middle school students with ADHD who were meditating twice a day in school. After three months, researchers found over 50 percent reduction in stress and anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms.

Effect exceeds expectations

“The effect was much greater than we expected,” said Sarina J. Grosswald, Ed.D., a George Washington University-trained cognitive learning specialist and lead researcher on the study. “The children also showed improvements in attention, working memory, organization, and behavior regulation.”

Grosswald said that after the in-school meditation routine began, “teachers reported they were able to teach more, and students were able to learn more because they were less stressed and anxious.”

Stress interferes with the ability to learn

Prior research shows ADHD children have slower brain development and a reduced ability to cope with stress. “Stress interferes with the ability to learn—it shuts down the brain,” said William Stixrud, Ph.D., a Silver Spring, Maryland, clinical neuropsychologist and co-author of the study.

“Medication for ADHD is very effective for some children, but it is marginally or not effective for others. Even for those children who show improved symptoms with the medication, the improvement is often insufficient or accompanied by troubling side effects,” Stixrud said. “Virtually everyone finds it difficult to pay attention, organize themselves and get things done when they’re under stress. So it stands to reason that the TM technique which reduces stress and organizes brain function would reduce ADHD symptoms.”

While in some cases a child cannot function without medication, there is growing concern about the health risks and side effects associated with the common ADHD medications, including mood swings, insomnia, tics, slowed growth, and heart problems. In 2006 the FDA required manufacturers to place warning labels on ADHD medications, listing the potential serious health risks.

These high risks and growing concerns are fueling parents’ search for alternatives that may be safer for their kids.

The study was conducted in a private K-12 school for children with language-based learning disabilities. Participation was restricted to 10 students, ages 11-14, who had pre-existing diagnoses of ADHD. About half of the students were on medication. The students meditated at school in a group for 10 minutes, morning and afternoon.

To determine the influence of the TM technique, at the beginning and end of the three-month period, parents, teachers and students completed standard ADHD assessment inventories measuring stress and anxiety, behavior and social competency, and executive function. Students were also given a battery of performance tests to measure cognitive functioning.

“The results were quite remarkable”

Andy and Daryl Schoenbach’s daughter was diagnosed with ADHD in second grade. Like most ADHD children she was taking medication. “The medication helped but had mixed results—she still lost focus, had meltdowns, and the medications affected her sleep and appetite,” said Andy, who lives with Daryl in Washington D.C. “She was not performing close to her potential and we didn't see the situation improving. So at the end of seventh grade when her doctor recommended increasing the medication, we decided it was time to take a different course—stopping the medication and using Transcendental Meditation.”

“The results were quite remarkable,” Daryl said. “The twice daily meditations smoothed things out, gave her perspective, and enabled her to be in greater control of her own life when things started falling apart. It took some time, but it gradually changed the way she handled crises and enabled her to feel confident that she could take on greater challenges —in her own words, ‘climb a mountain.’”

“Everyone noticed the change,” Andy added.

Grosswald explained that there is substantial research showing the effectiveness of the TM technique for reducing stress and anxiety, and improving cognitive functioning among the general population. “What’s significant about these new findings is that among children who have difficulty with focus and attention, we see the same results. TM doesn’t require concentration, controlling the mind or disciplined focus. The fact that these children are able to do TM, and do it easily shows us that this technique may be particularly well suited for children with ADHD,” she said.

This study was funded by the Abramson Family Foundation and the Institute for Community Enrichment.

A second, recently completed TM-ADHD study with a control group measured brain function using electroencephalography (EEG). Preliminary data shows that three months practice of the technique resulted in significant positive changes in brain functioning during visual-motor skills. Changes were specifically seen in the circuitry of the brain associated with attention and distractibility. After six months TM practice, measurements of distractibility moved into the normal range.

A third, $2 million TM-ADHD study, to be funded in part by a grant from the David Lynch Foundation (DavidLynchFoundation.org), will more fully investigate the effects of the technique on ADHD and other learning disorders.

Facts

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

* The Center for Disease Control reports that nearly 50 percent of the 4.5 million children (ages 4–17) in the United States diagnosed with ADHD are on ADHD medication—and the majority of those on medication stay on it in adulthood.
* The rate of prescriptions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the U.S. has increasing by a factor of five since 1991—with production of ADHD medicines up 2,000 percent in 9 years.
* The commonly used drugs for ADHD are stimulants (amphetamines). These drugs can cause persistent and negative side effects, including sleep disturbances, reduced appetite, weight loss, suppressed growth, and mood disorders. The side effects are frequently treated with additional medications to manage insomnia or mood swings. Almost none of the medications prescribed for insomnia or mood disturbances are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with children.
* The long-term health effects of ADHD medications are not fully known, but evidence suggests risks of cardiac disorders and sudden death, liver damage and psychiatric events. It has also been found that children on long-term medication have significantly higher rates of delinquency, substance use, and stunted physical growth.

The Transcendental Meditation Technique

* The Transcendental Meditation technique is an effortless technique practiced 10-20 minutes twice a day sitting comfortably with the eyes closed.
* TM is not a religion or philosophy and involves no new beliefs or change in lifestyle.
* Over 350 peer-reviewed research studies on the TM technique confirm a range of benefits for mind, body and behavior.
* Several studies have compared the effects of different meditation practices and found that Transcendental Meditation provides deeper relaxation and is more effective at reducing anxiety, depression and hypertension than other forms of meditation and relaxation. In addition, no other meditation practice shows the widespread coherence throughout all areas the brain that is seen with Transcendental Meditation.
* The Transcendental Meditation technique is taught in the United States by a non-profit, educational organization.
* More information can be obtained by calling 888-LEARN-TM or visiting www.ADHD-TM.org, www.AskTheDoctors.com, or www.TMEducation.org.