Here's a skill you might have missed in cardiology training: Mind control
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Chronic stress and poor mental health can disrupt the autonomic nervous system, which regulates heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this imbalance strains the cardiovascular system, potentially increasing the likelihood of plaque buildup and heart rhythm disturbances.
—Daniel Chong, ND
People often assume that sudden cardiac events strike without warning. But in reality, that’s rarely the case. []
Whether it’s coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart attack, or stroke, 99% of patients share something in common. They had traditional risk factors before the emergency hit—virtually every cardiac patient has had a history of elevated blood pressure, blood sugar, or cholesterol, or a history of smoking. [][]
These known threats are routinely screened for during regular check-ups and prompt the initiation or revision of drug treatments or other interventions.
Yet preventative care may not always address psychosocial stress factors and may overlook perhaps the most powerful weapon against cardiovascular disease: the human mind. Here’s how accessible practices like meditation can help unseal the deal for at-risk patients.
When meditation transcends health education
Public health initiatives typically focus on patient education. However, new research suggests that, when it comes to cardiovascular disease, transcendental meditation may be a better approach. []
A randomized study focused on African American patients, in whom the incidence of cardiovascular disease is known to be disproportionately high.
The researchers followed 136 high-risk men and women in Los Angeles for over a decade. One group participated in a 12-month health education (HE) program, and the other group engaged in 12 months of transcendental meditation (TM).
While both groups gained some benefits in terms of preventing progression of carotid artery intima-media thickness, the primary outcome, the meditation group had exceptional results that persisted for several years.
In the TM group compared to HE, there was a “significant relative risk reduction of MACE after 5 years of 65%.” The researchers reported that this pattern “was seen at 1 year and extended out to 10 years.”
Related: Use these clinically proven methods to relax quicklyRewiring stress, one breath at a time
Daniel Chong, ND, is a licensed integrative physician specializing in cardiovascular disease. He described the mind-heart connection and the power of meditation in an article for Forks Over Knives. []
“Chronic stress and poor mental health can disrupt the autonomic nervous system, which regulates heart rate and blood pressure,” wrote Dr. Chong. “Over time, this imbalance strains the cardiovascular system, potentially increasing the likelihood of plaque buildup and heart rhythm disturbances.”
“Meditation can help restore balance by enhancing parasympathetic activity, promoting relaxation, and reducing strain on the heart," he added.
Dr. Chong noted that guided meditation apps can be especially helpful for beginners. He encourages patients to start small, with just 5 to 10 minutes of intentional breathing built into a daily routine.
Related: An overlooked but important cardiovascular risk factor