Meditation has been known to lower blood pressure, and a new study shows it also soothes the bodys damaging stress responses. A build up of those responses over time leads to development of heart disease and diabetes. Heart disease patients, average age 68, were taught how to practice transcendental meditation (TM), which originated in India and has been popular in the states since the seventies. These patients experienced decreased heart rate variability and insulin sensitivity over the 16-week trial. Chronic stress can wreak havoc on the nervous system, which controls the beat of the heart. Cortisol and other hormones are released during stress response, along with neurotransmitters. These hormones can damage the cardiovascular system if experienced often enough, for long enough. According to the studys conclusion, transcendental meditation practice actually adjusts the bodys response to stress instead of changing the stress itself-- results similar to the physical effects of exercise conditioning. This is an important capability for those who cannot escape stress in their lives entirely.
