PUBLICATION: Hypertension
The Transcendental Meditation program has been shown to significantly reduce risk factors for heart disease, including hypertension, high cholesterol, anxiety, hostility, and smoking. In a randomized study published in the journal of the American Heart Association, individuals with mild hypertension experienced significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure over a 3-month period after learning the TM technique. These reductions in blood pressure were substantially greater than those experienced by individuals in two control groups-a "usual-care" group that received training in improved diet and exercise and a group practicing muscle relaxation. The TM technique produced reductions in blood pressure equivalent to those produced by anti-hypertensive drugs but without their adverse side effects. A related study of health insurance data over a five-year period found that individuals regularly practicing the TM technique required 87% less hospitalization for heart disease than the norm. (Hypertension, 26: 820-827, 1995. Psychosomatic Medicine 49: 493-507, 1987.)