Residential Meditation Retreats: A Promise of Sustainable Well-Being?
Cureus November 1, 2024 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.73326 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Meditation retreat |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Inflammation Meditation retreats Qol Well-being Wellness and resilience |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Meditation retreats can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while enhancing emotional resilience and offering physical benefits such as reduced inflammatory markers and improved metabolic health. |
Abstract
Meditation retreats are structured programs that immerse participants in focused meditation, mindfulness, and self-reflection over extended periods. Unlike conventional vacations, which prioritize relaxation, meditation retreats combine intensive practice with intentional rest, cultivating emotional regulation, mindfulness, and personal growth. These retreats have grown in popularity for their ability to support mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Research shows that retreats can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while enhancing emotional resilience. Physical benefits, including reduced inflammatory markers and improved metabolic health, further contribute to long-term well-being. Positioned within the expanding wellness tourism market, meditation retreats offer sustainable benefits that surpass those of traditional leisure activities, marking them as a promising tool in preventive healthcare. In this editorial, we examine the evidence supporting these benefits and discuss challenges, such as varied formats, limited follow-up, and accessibility issues, which limit broader application. Further research is essential to standardise protocols, evaluate cost-effectiveness, and expand access, underscoring the potential of meditation retreats as a sustainable well-being intervention in today's demanding world.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 4
- Isha Yoga Practices and Participation in Samyama Program are Associated with Reduced HbA1C and Systemic Inflammation, Improved Lipid Profile, and Short-Term and Sustained Improvement in Mental Health: A Prospective Observational Study of Meditators Frontiers in Psychology May 19, 2021
- Meditation: Evidence Map of Systematic Reviews. Frontiers in Public Health 2021
- Residential meditation retreats: their role in contemplative practice and significance for psychological research. Current Opinion in Psychology August 1, 2019
- Effectiveness of traditional meditation retreats: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2017