Just one session of meditation can lower your anxiety levels according to a study presented at the American Physiological Society. Professor John Durocher of Michigan Technological University (US) was the head researcher and he summed up the conclusions by saying: “Our results show a clear reduction in anxiety in the first hour after a meditation session, and that anxiety remained significantly lower even one week later.” All of the participants in the study had a history of high levels of anxiety. Their heart rate, blood pressure, aortic blood pressure and arterial stiffness were measured before and after a 60-minute guided mindfulness meditation session. This type of meditation focuses on breathing and awareness of one's thoughts.

“This study is different because we examined the effect of just a single mindfulness session on anxiety and cardiovascular outcomes, while other studies have examined the effects of several days or weeks of mindfulness meditation,” said Durocher. The research showed that a one-hour session had notable physical and mental benefits. Participants had reduced mechanical stress on their arteries which helps to reduce stress on organs like the brain and kidneys.