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Broad Comprehension and Ability to Focus
The practice of the Transcendental Meditation technique develops greater field independence. This improvement in TM meditators is remarkable because it was previously thought that these basic perceptual abilities do not improve beyond early adulthood.
Reference: Perceptual and Motor Skills 39: 1031–1034, 1974.
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Increased Use of Brain Reserves
During the Transcendental Meditation program, early (sensory) components of the brain’s response to somatosensory stimuli are more widely distributed across the cortex, indicating greater participation of the whole brain in the response to a stimulus.
Reference: Human Physiology, 25: 171–180, 1999.
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Reduced Medical Costs
Five-year cumulative payments to physicians for subjects over the age of 65 who practiced the Transcendental Meditation technique were 70% lower than for the control group, who were matched for age, sex and other factors.
Reference: Journal of Social Behavior and Personality 17:415-442, 2005.
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Decreased Anxiety
A meta-analysis of 146 studies comparing the effectiveness of different mental and physical relaxation techniques on reducing trait anxiety showed that the Transcendental Meditation technique was most effective by a statistically significant margin.
Reference: Journal of Clinical Psychology 45(6): 957-974, 1989.
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Improved Job Performance
Employees who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed improved job performance in comparison with control subjects.
Reference: Academy of Management Journal 17: 362–368, 1974.
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Reduced High Blood Pressure
Patients with high blood pressure who learned the Transcendental Meditation program showed a significant reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure after three months, in contrast to those randomly assigned to a control technique or to those who received health education on how to reduce blood pressure through diet and exercise.
Reference: Hypertension 26: 820–827, 1995.
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Improved Mental Health
A randomized study of military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder found decreased depression, anxiety, insomnia and alcohol consumption in a group practicing the Transcendental Meditation technique, as compared to a control group receiving psychotherapy.
Reference: Journal of Counseling and Development 64: 212-215, 1985.
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Reduced Hypertension
This meta-analysis examined all published randomised, controlled clinical trials on the Transcendental Meditation technique’s effects on blood pressure, finding a statistically significant impact in reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Reference: American Journal of Hypertension 21:310-316, 2008.
Five Decades of TM Research
Over the past 50 years, more than 600 studies have been conducted on the Transcendental Meditation program, at more than 250 independent research organisations, in 33 countries throughout the world. Of these studies, more than 350 have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Come to one of our Sydney Intro Talks for a detailed presentation of TM reserach.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The CSIRO Healthy Heart Program published in 2008 states, “A recent report suggests that evidence is not strong enough to recommend general meditation as a treatment for high blood pressure. A specific form of meditation, however, known as Transcendental Meditation, has been shown to be very effective”
National Institutes of Health
The NIH (National Centre of Complementary and Alternative Medicine - including meditation) has awarded more than $24 million to study the benefits of the Transcendental Meditation technique for improving brain functioning and cardiovascular health during the past 20 years.
American Medical Association
The AMA’s journal Archives of Internal Medicine published a recent study on Transcendental Meditation showing the TM technique is highly effective in reducing risk factors for high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
American Heart Association
At the annual meeting of the AHA in 2009, two research studies on Transcendental Meditation were presented. One study, conducted by the Medical College of Wisconsin, showed that the practice of Transcendental Meditation almost halved the risk of heart attack, stroke and death in people with coronary artery disease - view full article on meditation and heart health. Another study conducted at American University found that students practicing Transcendental Meditation had higher Brain Integration Scale scores, less sleepiness, and faster habituation to a loud tone—they were less jumpy and irritable.
American Psychological Association
During its annual conference in 2007, the APA featured research on the Transcendental Meditation technique that documents the positive, long-term benefits of the practice for self-actualization and self-development. The EEG changes that accompany self development in practitioners of Transcendental Meditation were also observed peak athletes. In 2004, the APA also featured an article on Transcendental Meditation and lower blood pressure.