Effect of Heartfulness Meditation on Stress Biomarkers, Burnout and Well-Being: A Randomized Controlled Study.
Mansee Thakur, Sanjana T Philip, Kunal R Desai, Kapil Thakur
Stress and Health April 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/smi.70034 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 100 |
| Population | Adults aged 18–24 with moderate to high perceived stress |
| Intervention | Heartfulness meditation |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Biomarkers Cortisol Heartfulness meditation Mental health Oxidative stress Randomized controlled trial Well‐being Meditation & mindfulness |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Heartfulness meditation significantly reduced stress biomarkers (cortisol) and burnout (exhaustion, cynicism) while increasing well-being and professional efficacy compared to sham meditation. |
Abstract
The rise in mental health conditions and stress has attracted global attention. Non-pharmacological and traditional approaches like meditative practices are showing promising results. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Heartfulness meditation on stress biomarkers, burnout, and well-being. A double-arm prospective randomized controlled study was carried out on 100 participants aged between 18 and 24 years, experiencing moderate to high perceived stress as assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). These participants were randomized into a study group (meditation) and control group (sham meditation). An intervention of Heartfulness meditation was carried out daily for 12 weeks. Psychometric analysis was carried out to study burnout (exhaustion, cynicism and professional efficacy) and well-being using the standard validated questionnaires- Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and WHO-Well-being Index (WHO-WBI). Biochemical analysis was also carried out to study psychological stress (serum cortisol), and oxidative stress (serum nitrate/nitrite and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) at baseline and post-intervention. Statistical analysis was carried out using the IBM SPSS software version 26.0. p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. A significant increase in serum nitrate/nitrite levels, professional efficacy, and well-being, and a significant decrease in measures such as exhaustion, cynicism, and cortisol levels were observed in the study group than the control group post-intervention. A significant negative correlation was also observed between serum MDA and well-being, whereas a positive correlation was observed between MDA and cortisol. The findings from this research suggest the role of Heartfulness meditation in reducing stress and burnout along with improving the well-being of an individual. Therefore, Heartfulness meditation can be used as a potential tool to improve mental health and well-being. However, future studies with a larger number of samples are needed to strengthen our findings. Trial Registration: Clinical Trial Registry of India: CTRI/2023/10/058,423 (https://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/pmaindet2.php?EncHid=ODIyOTA=&Enc=&userName=CTRI/2023/10/058423).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Heartfulness meditation alters neuroendocrine profiles: A randomized controlled trial on hormones of stress and well-being. Medicine November 21, 2025
- Efficacy of an Integrated Heartfulness Meditation and Yoga Protocol in Hypertensive Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2025
Cites 20
- Zen meditation, Length of Telomeres, and the Role of Experiential Avoidance and Compassion Mindfulness February 22, 2016
- A compassion-based program to reduce psychological distress in medical students: A pilot randomized clinical trial PLoS One June 23, 2023
- Heartfulness Meditation: A Yogic and Neuroscientific Perspective Frontiers in Psychology May 10, 2022
- Efficacy of mHealth aided 12-week meditation and breath intervention on change in burnout and professional quality of life among health care providers of a tertiary care hospital in north India: a randomized waitlist-controlled trial. Frontiers in Public Health 2023
- Impact of Heartfulness meditation practice on anxiety, perceived stress, well-being, and telomere length. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
and 15 more in the library