Medical students who completed a combined mental and physical (MAP) training program—weekly sessions of instruction, silent meditation, and aerobic exercise plus one self-led session—reported significantly fewer ruminations (−17%), including depressive (−16%) and brooding ruminations (−24%), after 8 weeks compared to non-participants. They also reported greater quality of life and less perceived stress. The majority (84%) indicated they would recommend such practices to future patients.
A combination of meditation and aerobic exercise, called MAP Training My Brain™, reduces trauma-related thoughts and rumination in women with a history of sexual violence, while meditation alone or exercise alone did not. The training also enhanced self-worth. Each session includes 20 minutes of sitting meditation, 10 minutes of slow-walking meditation, and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise at 60–80% of maximum heart rate. Among 105 women (32 with a history of sexual violence), those who completed two sessions per week for at least six weeks showed significant reductions in post-traumatic cognitions and ruminative thoughts only when both activities were combined, indicating a synergistic effect.