Mindfulness-based stress reduction program improves psychological well-being and blood pressure in an Italian context: potential mechanisms and benefits.

An 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program lowered perceived stress, anxiety, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, salivary cortisol, and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8, while increasing awareness and plasma carotenoid levels in 42 adult volunteers. Changes in stress and anxiety correlated with changes in IL-8 and awareness. The program appears to reduce nervous system activation and cortisol, thereby lowering inflammation and oxidative stress, which may help manage hypertension and other stress-related conditions.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Chronic psychosocial stress may exacerbate inflammation and oxidative stress, potentially contributing to the aetiology of many lifestyle-related diseases, including elevation of blood pressure (BP) and increased cardiovascular risk. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) improves psychological well-being, but few studies have investigated its effect on biological parameters related to stress. This study evaluated whether the MBSR program can lower stress and anxiety and improve some biological stress markers. This is a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. We recruited 42 adult volunteers to partake in a standard 8-week MBSR program. The main outcomes were psychological well-being (perceived stress, anxiety and awareness) and stress-related biomarkers (systolic and diastolic BP, salivary cortisol, IL-6 and IL-8 levels, plasma carotenoids concentration). MBSR decreased stress (p = 0.002) and anxiety (p = 0.05) and increased awareness (p = 0.01). MBSR also significantly lowered systolic and diastolic BP (p = 0.02; p = 0.001), cortisol (p = 0.01), and IL-6 and IL-8 pro-inflammatory cytokines (p = 0.02; p = 0.03), and enhanced carotenoids (p = 0.03). We found a strong positive correlation between Δ PSS and Δ STAI-Y1 (r = 0.62, p = 0.008), Δ STAI-Y1 and Δ IL8 (r = 0.74, p = 0.0007), and Δ PSS and Δ IL8 (r = 0.5, p = 0.04). Significant negative correlations were observed between Δ PSS and Δ MAAS (r = -0.77, p = 0.0003), Δ STAI-Y1 and Δ MAAS (r = -0.51, p = 0.04), and Δ MAAS and Δ IL8 (r = -0.68, p = 0.003). These preliminary data indicate that the MBSR program significantly improves all the analysed parameters. This program can help cope with stress and anxiety and lower BP by reducing nervous system activation and cortisol levels. By regulating cortisol levels, MBSR can lower inflammation and oxidative stress responses involved in many diseases, including hypertension. Further studies are needed to unravel the complex relationship between mindfulness and its effects on human health.