A systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 randomized controlled trials with 4,104 participants found that meditation significantly reduced fatigue scores by an average of 6.4 points compared to control conditions, after an average meditation duration of 9.6 weeks. The largest reduction occurred in sub-healthy populations (8.2 points), followed by general (6.9 points) and disease groups (5.7 points). Effects were most pronounced for mental fatigue (10.0 points), especially when meditation was guided by an expert and included supplementary homework. The authors conclude that meditation is an effective nonpharmacological intervention for fatigue management.
A systematic review of 104 randomized controlled trials involving 10,139 participants with 45 different disorders found that meditation-based interventions—primarily mindfulness-based, yoga-based, and transcendental meditation—most often targeted symptoms such as depressive mood, anxiety, quality of life, stress, sleep, pain, and fatigue. Positive outcomes were most frequently reported for sleep (73.9% of trials) and fatigue (68.4% of trials). The review provides a comprehensive overview of how therapeutic meditation has been studied in clinical populations, highlighting the most common conditions and symptoms addressed, though methodological heterogeneity remains a challenge.
A traditional Korean mind-body practice, Kouksundo, reduces oxidative stress markers and alters stress hormones. In 57 trainees, a single session (90 minutes total) lowered blood levels of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and malondialdehyde, while increasing superoxide dismutase and decreasing catalase. Cortisol, norepinephrine, and dopamine decreased, while epinephrine increased. Total antioxidant capacity and glutathione were unchanged. The practice appears to offer health benefits through these biological changes.