The Impact of Vipassana Meditation on Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence.
Cureus September 1, 2025 Selvaraj Giridharan, Soni Soumian, Nagaraj V Kumar et al.
Vipassana meditation, an ancient practice emphasizing insight through non-judgmental observation, shows moderate evidence for improving psychological and physiological health. An updated systematic review of 11 studies (three randomized controlled trials, two single-arm trials, one pilot trial, and five observational trials) published between 2010 and 2025 found reductions in stress and anxiety, gains in mindfulness and well-being, improved hippocampal topology, increased heart rate variability, fewer migraine days, and enhanced executive functions and memory consolidation. Stronger effects occurred in intensive retreats and among experienced meditators. Evidence is limited by small sample sizes, moderate to high risk of bias, and absence of blinding, but Vipassana holds promise as an adjunct for stress-related disorders.