A new addition to the Journal of Traumatic Stress demonstrated an association between Transcendental meditation and a reduction in mental health problems, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep difficulties.
The study was conducted at Maharishi International University.
According to the journal article, 40 military veterans diagnosed with PTSD were assigned to either take part in Transcendental meditation or a different treatment approach.
The participants who engaged in meditation did so for 16 sessions over a span of 12 weeks.
“Change in PTSD symptoms, measured via the Clinician‐Administered PTSD Scale for DSM‐5 (CAPS‐5) was the primary outcome,” the article states. “Secondary outcomes included self‐reported PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, anger, and quality of life (QoL). Assessments were conducted at baseline and 3‐month follow‐up.”
The group of participants who engaged in meditational sessions had significantly higher rates of diminished PTSD symptoms, compared to their counterparts.
The results show efficacy with Transcendental meditation for veterans with PTSD, and may also be effective for other related mental health problems, such as depression and sleep difficulties.
“These findings demonstrate the efficacy of Transcendental meditation as a treatment for veterans with PTSD and for comorbid symptoms. Combined with other research, they suggest that Transcendental meditation may be a tolerable, non–trauma‐focused PTSD treatment,” the article concluded.
