Breathing‐Based Meditation Decreases Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms in U.S. Military Veterans: A Randomized Controlled Longitudinal Study
Emma M Seppala, Jack B. Nitschke, Dana Tudorascu, Andrea S Hayes, Michael R. Goldstein, Dong T. H. Nguyen, David M Perlman, Richard J. Davidson
Journal of Traumatic Stress August 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1002/jts.21936 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 21 |
| Population | U.S. male veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan war with PTSD |
| Intervention | Sudarshan Kriya yoga |
| Duration | Intervention period not specified; follow-up at 1 month and 1 year |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation PTSD |
| Keywords | Intervention counseling Randomized controlled trial Breathing Posttraumatic stress Depression economics Clinical psychology Physical therapy |
| Citations | 180 |
| Key findings | Sudarshan Kriya yoga reduced PTSD scores, anxiety symptoms, and respiration rate in male veterans compared to a waitlist control group. |
Abstract
Given the limited success of conventional treatments for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), investigations of alternative approaches are warranted. We examined the effects of a breathing-based meditation intervention, Sudarshan Kriya yoga, on PTSD outcome variables in U.S. male veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan war. We randomly assigned 21 veterans to an active (n = 11) or waitlist control (n = 10) group. Laboratory measures of eye-blink startle and respiration rate were obtained before and after the intervention, as were self-report symptom measures; the latter were also obtained 1 month and 1 year later. The active group showed reductions in PTSD scores, d = 1.16, 95% CI [0.20, 2.04], anxiety symptoms, and respiration rate, but the control group did not. Reductions in startle correlated with reductions in hyperarousal symptoms immediately postintervention (r = .93, p < .001) and at 1-year follow-up (r = .77, p = .025). This longitudinal intervention study suggests there may be clinical utility for Sudarshan Kriya yoga for PTSD.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 41
- Feasibility of Formal Mindfulness-Based Stress-Resilience Training Among Surgery Interns JAMA Surgery August 30, 2018
- Mind–Body Exercises for PTSD Symptoms, Depression, and Anxiety in Patients With PTSD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Psychology January 18, 2022
- Biological mechanism study of meditation and its application in mental disorders General Psychiatry July 13, 2020
- High ventilation breathwork practices: An overview of their effects, mechanisms, and considerations for clinical applications. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews December 1, 2023
- 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
and 36 more in the library
Cites 6
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Sudarshan Kriya Yogic Breathing in the Treatment of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Part II—Clinical Applications and Guidelines The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine August 1, 2005
- Does Mindfulness Meditation Improve Anxiety and Mood Symptoms? A Review of the Controlled Research The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry April 1, 2007
- The theoretical and empirical basis for meditation as an intervention for PTSD. Behavior modification November 1, 2012
- Treating chronic worry: Psychological and physiological effects of a training programme based on mindfulness. Behaviour Research and Therapy June 11, 2010
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