Mindfulness Training and Physical Health: Mechanisms and Outcomes
Psychosomatic Medicine April 1, 2019 J. D. Creswell, Emily K Lindsay, Daniella K. Villalba et al.
This review synthesizes recent research on mindfulness interventions and physical health. Initial randomized controlled trials suggest mindfulness interventions can improve pain management in chronic pain populations, with preliminary evidence for benefits in stress-related conditions such as clinical colds, psoriasis, irritable bowel syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder, diabetes, and HIV. The authors propose a stress-buffering framework to explain these effects and summarize biobehavioral and neuroimaging studies that identify plausible mechanistic pathways. They conclude by outlining research and clinical opportunities for the next two decades.