Alt Med - Meditation (13 of 20)

(from PT and Alternative Medicine)

Meditation is included in this discussion because of its roots in ancient eastern religions. Because of such, alternative medicine proponents may over-promote its value.

Different types of meditation have been practiced for thousands of years across the world. Many types have roots in Eastern religions.

Meditation can generally be defined as the self-regulation of attention to suspend the normal stream of consciousness.

A common goal of meditation is to reach a state of "thoughtless awareness," during which a person is passively aware of sensations at the present moment.

There are a number of theories about how meditation works and its potential health benefits. One hypothesis is that it reduces activity of the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for the fight-or-flight response), leading to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, slower breathing and muscle relaxation.

Several preliminary studies of transcendental meditation have noted these types of effects, although the research techniques were of poor quality

There's no definitive evidence that meditation eases health problems, according to an exhaustive review of the accumulated data by Canadian researchers.

Summary:

Meditation used as part of a general healthy lifestyle may be appropriate but, presently, claims for health benefits cannot be clearly made based on scientific evidence.