The Impact of Vipassana Meditation on Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence.
Selvaraj Giridharan, Soni Soumian, Nagaraj V Kumar, Mrunmai Godbole
Cureus September 1, 2025 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.93355 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Adult participants in studies of Vipassana meditation |
| Intervention | Vipassana meditation |
| Duration | Studies published from January 2010 to April 2025 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Health outcomes Neurobiological mechanisms Psychological well-being Systematic review |
| Key findings | Moderate evidence supports benefits of Vipassana meditation for reducing stress, anxiety, and migraine burden while enhancing mindfulness and neurobiological markers, with effects appearing intensity-dependent. |
Abstract
Vipassana meditation, an ancient Buddhist-derived practice that emphasises insight through non-judgmental observation of sensations and thoughts, has gained popularity for its potential to enhance health and well-being. Building on earlier research, this updated review synthesises empirical evidence published since 2010 to evaluate the impact of Vipassana across the psychological, physiological, neurobiological, and behavioural domains, addressing the growing need for effective, evidence-based approaches to global mental health challenges. Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched from January 2010 to April 2025 to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies comprised randomized controlled trials (RCTs), single-arm trials, pilot studies, and observational designs published in English, involving adult participants and quantifiable outcomes. Reviews, non-Vipassana practices, and low-quality studies with fewer than 10 participants per group were excluded, while the risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) 2 tool and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Given the heterogeneity, the findings were synthesised narratively, exploring subgroups based on retreat intensity and practitioner experience. Eleven studies were included (three RCTs, two single-arm trials, one pilot trial, and five observational trials), revealing psychological outcomes such as reductions in stress and anxiety alongside gains in mindfulness and well-being; physiological and neurobiological findings included improved hippocampal topology, increased heart rate variability, and fewer migraine days; and behavioural improvements encompassed enhanced executive functions and memory consolidation, with stronger effects noted in intensive retreats and among experienced meditators, although evidence was limited by small sample sizes, moderate to high risk of bias, and absence of blinding. In conclusion, moderate evidence supports the benefits of Vipassana meditation for psychological and physiological health, particularly in alleviating stress, anxiety, and migraine burden while enhancing mindfulness and neurobiological markers, with effects appearing intensity-dependent and retreats yielding sustained advantages. Despite methodological limitations, Vipassana holds promise as an adjunct for stress-related disorders, warranting larger, well-controlled RCTs to substantiate its long-term efficacy.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A spectrum of self-processing modes: Indian philosophical insights and contemporary science on wellbeing Frontiers in Psychology July 7, 2026
- Vipassanā Meditation in Contemporary Psychiatry: Transformation of a Buddhist Practice into a Mental Health Intervention Kamali: Jurnal Ilmu Agama June 26, 2026
- Effect of ānāpāna meditation on attention and mental well-being in secondary school students: a mixed-methods evaluation. Frontiers in Public Health 2026
Cites 24
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors August 28, 2006
- The Mindful Brain and Emotion Regulation in Mood Disorders The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2012
- Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences June 1, 2016
and 19 more in the library