MINDFULNESS IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

A new study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine from Brown University researchers shows that dispositional mindfulness promotes better heart health.

 

The researchers looked at whether having ‘dispositional mindfulness’—which means you’re the type of person who’s very aware of, and attentive to, what you’re feeling and thinking at any given moment—was a factor for a healthy heart. They found a significant correlation between the two: namely, people with high dispositional mindfulness scores had an 83 per cent greater prevalence of good cardiovascular health.

 

Now, some people are ‘naturally’ dispositionally mindful. The rest of us are not, and have to learn how to be dispositionally mindful.

 

For more information about the Brown University study, here is a link to a recent article in Time magazine. The reference to the study and report is immediately below.

 

 

Resource: Loucks EB, Britton WB, Howe CJ, Eaton CB, and Buka SL. ‘Positive Associations of Dispositional Mindfulness with Cardiovascular Health: the New England Family Study.’ International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. October 2014. Date: 23 Oct 2014.

 

RELATED POSTS

MINDFULNESS FOR A HEALTHY HEART

MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION HELPS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org

 

 

 

MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION HELPS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Hypertension, as everyone knows, is a serious problem. For starters, it is a major risk factor for heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.  

A new study has found that blood pressure is effectively lowered by mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for patients with borderline high blood pressure (BP) or ‘prehypertension.’ The finding is reported in the October 2013 issue of Psychosomatic Medicine: Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine, the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society.

‘Our results provide evidence that MBSR, when added to lifestyle modification advice, may be an appropriate complementary treatment for BP in the prehypertensive range,’ writes Dr Joel W Hughes [pictured left] of Kent State (Ohio) University and colleagues.

The study included 56 women and men diagnosed with prehypertension (systolic [the first, higher number] BP of 120-139 or diastolic [the second, lower number] BP of 80-89)---blood pressure that was higher than desirable--- but not yet so high that antihypertensive drugs would be prescribed. Prehypertension receives increasing attention from doctors because it is associated with a wide range of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems. About 30 per cent of Americans---and probably a simple percentage of Australians---have prehypertension and may be prescribed medications for this condition.

One group of patients was assigned to a program of MBSR: 8 group sessions of 2.5 hours per week. Led by an experienced instructor, the sessions included three main types of mindfulness skills: body scan exercises, sitting meditation, and yoga exercises. Patients were also encouraged to perform mindfulness exercises at home.

The other ‘comparison’ group received lifestyle advice plus a muscle-relaxation activity. This ‘active control’ treatment group was not expected to have lasting effects on blood pressure. Blood pressure measurements were compared between groups to determine whether the mindfulness-based intervention reduced blood pressure in this group of people at risk of cardiovascular problems.

Patients in the mindfulness-based intervention group had significant reductions in clinic-based blood pressure measurements. Systolic BP decreased by an average of nearly 5 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), compared to less than 1 mm Hg with in the control group who did not receive the mindfulness intervention. Diastolic BP was also lower in the mindfulness-based intervention group: a reduction of nearly 2 mm Hg, compared to an increase of 1 mm Hg in the control group.

‘Mindfulness-based stress reduction is an increasingly popular practice that has been purported to alleviate stress, treat depression and anxiety, and treat certain health conditions,’ according to Dr Hughes and his coauthors. It has been suggested that MBSR and other types of meditation may be useful in lowering blood pressure. Previous studies have reported small but significant reductions in blood pressure with transcendental meditation; this new study is the first to specifically evaluate the blood pressure effects of mindfulness-based intervention in patients with prehypertension.

Although the blood pressure reductions associated with mindfulness-based interventions are modest, they are similar to many drug interventions and potentially large enough to lead to reductions in the risk of heart attack or stroke. Further studies are needed to see if the blood pressure-lowering effects are sustained over time.

The researchers argue that mindfulness-based interventions may provide a useful alternative to help ‘prevent or delay’ the need for antihypertensive medications in patients with borderline high blood pressure.

Resource: Hughes J W, Fresco D M, Myerscough R, van Dulmen M H M, Carlson L E, and Josephson R, ‘Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Prehypertension’, Psychosomatic Medicine October 2013 vol. 75 no. 8 721-728. doi: 10.1097/​PSY.0b013e3182a3e4e5.

RELATED POSTS

MINDFULNESS FOR A HEALTHY HEART

MINDFULNESS IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART


IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org

MINDFULNESS FOR A HEALTHY HEART

According to the Australian Heart Foundation, every 10 minutes somebody in Australia dies from heart disease. The leading underlying cause of death for all Australians is reported to be ischaemic heart disease (IHD), contributing to some 18 per cent of all male deaths and some 17 per cent of all female deaths. Heart disease is also the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States of America … and many other places as well.

Joel Dimsdale's 2008 article ‘Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease’ published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is a metaanalysis of the world's research literature on the unique relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

CVD is not a single disorder but represents over 20 different disease including stroke, various heart diseases (including coronary heart disease), and heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, if all forms of CVD were eliminated, total life expectancy in the US would increase by 7 years. The main cause of CVD is atherosclerosis – the build up of fatty plaque on the inner layer of artery walls. This can lead to blood clots. When a coronary artery or vessel is blocked, it is called coronary heart [or artery] disease, which is the major form of CVD.

Major risk factors for CVD include smoking, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Now, what is clear is that stress triggers events. It is less clear if stress actually causes events. However, Dimsdale has documented overwhelming evidence confirming the ‘deleterious effects of stress on the heart and for the fact that vulnerability and resilience factors play a role in amplifying or dampening those effects’.

The heart and blood vessels are particularly sensitive to acute and chronic stress. With every beat, the heart not only pumps blood, but also transmits complex patterns of neurological, hormonal, pressure and electromagnetic information to the brain and throughout the body.

The heart is uniquely positioned as a powerful communications hub that connects the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Research suggests that there is an elaborate feedback network of hormones, chemicals and nerves that exist between the brain, the heart and centres of thoughts and emotions. The heart sends the brain messages that affect our perceptions, our mental processing and our feelings.

We all know that there is a strong connection between stress and cardiovascular health via multiple pathways including type A behaviour pattern (hostility and anger are the lethal elements), the direct effects of adrenaline on blood vessels and the heart itself (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy), acceleration of atherosclerosis leading to coronary artery disease, abnormal metabolism, insulin resistance and inflammation, and irritability of the heart muscle.

You can help prevent heart disease by quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure and blood sugar, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising. Oh, yes, I guess I don’t need to tell you - but I will anyway - that there is abundant evidence in the medical and scientific journals attesting to the benefits of meditation – especially mindfulness meditation – as regards personal risk management for heart disease … not to mention so many other kinds of disease as well.

A study examining the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction found a significant improvement in breathing efficiency and frequency (Robert-McComb et al: 2004), which assists in the management of heart disease. Lowered resting level of the stress hormone cortisol was also observed (cf cortisol-induced hypertension). Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream - like those associated with chronic stress - have been shown to have numerous negative effects including hypertension, impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, lowered immunity, and inflammatory responses in the body.

We all know that hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. An 8-month study involving 111 teens on the verge of becoming hypertensive adults, found that meditation helps blood vessels relax (Barnes et al: 2004). Two 15-minute meditation sessions led to an average 21 per cent increase in the ability of the teens' blood vessels to dilate. In contrast, the teens who did not meditate experienced a 4 per cent decrease in blood vessel dilation over the 8-month study.

Lead investigator Dr Vernon A Barnes, stated: ‘We know that this type of change is achievable with lipid-lowering drugs, but it's remarkable that a meditation program can produce such a change. This could have important implications for inclusion of meditation programs to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases and its clinical consequences.’

Another important study shows that mindfulness meditation is associated  with improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (Rosenzweig et al: 2007).

Mindfulness is not just an antidote for stress. Mindfulness actually changes things – you! The only 'thing' you can ever change. (You're powerless over everything else.) The regular practice of mindfulness meditation allows you to make the necessary ‘adjustments’ to changing circumstances and unprecedented events. You learn to refine and adjust your expectations (and invent new expectations) and to tailor your ‘responses’ [cf ‘reactions’] to emerging threats as well as general existential uncertainty.

The key elements? I have mentioned these two phrases so many times in my now more than 80 blogs since October 2010 – choiceless awareness and bare attention. Commit them to memory. Better still, commit them to daily practice.

This post sets out a simple form of mindfulness sitting meditation. Also, if you are living with heart disease you may wish to purchase this very good interactive mindfulness audio CD featuring Dr Bob Stahl.

RESOURCES:

Barnes VA, Treiber FA, Johnson MH: Impact of transcendental meditation on ambulatory blood pressure in African-American adolescents. Am J Hypertens. 2004;17, 366–369; doi: 10.1016/j.amjhyper.2003.12.008

Dimsdale JE: Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51;1237-1246 doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.12.024

Robert McComb JJ, Tacon A, Randolph P, Caldera Y: A pilot study to examine the effects of a mindfulness-based stress-reduction and relaxation program on levels of stress hormones, physical functioning, and submaximal exercise responses. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(5):819-27.

Rosenzweig S, Reibel DK, Greeson JM, Edman JS, Jasser SA, McMearty KD, Goldstein BJ: Mindfulness-based stress reduction is associated with improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2007;13(5):36-38.

RELATED POSTS

MINDFULNESS IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEART

MINDFULNESS REDUCES STRESS AND CAN EVEN BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION HELPS LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

MINDFULNESS PROMOTES HEALTHY GLUCOSE LEVELS

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org