Prevalence and 20-year trends in meditation, yoga, guided imagery and progressive relaxation use among US adults from 2002 to 2022
Jonathan N. Davies, Anna Faschinger, Julieta Galante, Nicholas T. van Dam
Scientific Reports July 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64562-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Population-weighted analysis of cross-sectional survey data Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 134,959 |
| Population | US adults |
| Duration | 2002-2022 |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Guided imagery Population Gerontology Relaxation psychology Odds ratio Distress Demography Clinical psychology Logistic regression Environmental health |
| Citations | 45 |
| Key findings | Use of meditation, yoga, and guided imagery or progressive relaxation increased significantly from 2002 to 2022, with higher odds of use among certain racial groups and those with psychological distress, and accelerated meditation uptake among older adults, less educated groups, and those not accessing mental health care. |
Abstract
Meditation, yoga, guided imagery, and progressive relaxation are promoted as complementary approaches for health and wellbeing in the United States, but their uptake by different sociodemographic groups is unclear. This study assessed the prevalence and 20 year trends in the use of these practices in US adults between 2002-2022. We examined practice use and associations with sociodemographic and health factors in a population-weighted analysis of n = 134,959 participants across 5 cycles of the National Health Interview Survey. The overall use of meditation (18.3%, 60.53 million), yoga (16.8%, 55.78 million) and guided imagery/progressive relaxation (6.7%, 22.22 million) increased significantly from 2002 to 2022. Growth was consistent across most sociodemographic and health strata, however users of 'Other' race (comprising 54% Indigenous Americans, Odds Ratios; ORs = 1.28-1.70) and users with moderate (ORs = 1.19-1.29) psychological distress were overrepresented across all practices, and those with severe psychological distress were overrepresented in meditation (OR = 1.33) and guided imagery/progressive relaxation (OR = 1.42). Meditation use has accelerated over time for 65 + year olds (OR = 4.22), people not accessing mental health care (OR = 1.39), and less educated (OR = 4.02) groups, potentially reflecting unmet health needs. Health professionals should consider the extensive use of complementary practices in service and treatment planning and consider their risks and benefits.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 26
- Incidence and Predictors of Meditation-Related Unusual Experiences and Adverse Effects in a Representative Sample of Meditators in the United States Clinical Psychological Science January 6, 2025
- Dose–response effects of reported meditation practice on mental‐health and wellbeing: A prospective longitudinal study Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being August 1, 2025
- Beyond serenity: Adverse effects of meditation and mindfulness in clinical practice. Current Opinion in Psychology February 1, 2026
- Time-to-onset and temporal dynamics of EEG during breath-watching meditation bioRxiv Preprint Server February 11, 2025
- Who Wants to be Mindful? Personality Predictors of Meditation Practice Mindfulness February 1, 2025
and 21 more in the library
Cites 16
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- Prevalence of meditation-related adverse effects in a population-based sample in the United States Psychotherapy Research June 2, 2021
- Why could meditation practice help promote mental health and well-being in aging? Alzheimer's Research & Therapy June 22, 2018
- Individual participant data systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing adult mindfulness-based programmes for mental health promotion in non-clinical settings. Nature Mental Health July 10, 2023
and 11 more in the library