Meditation · Research · 8 min read
Does Meditation Work for Anxiety and Depression? What the Research Says
A landmark review of 47 trials found moderate evidence of small to moderate benefits for anxiety, depression and pain, but no edge over other treatments.
Meditation helps some people with anxiety, depression and pain, but the effect is modest. A widely cited 2014 review in JAMA Internal Medicine pooled 47 randomised trials with 3,515 participants and found moderate evidence of small to moderate improvements, and no evidence that meditation works better than other active treatments.
47
randomised trials included in the review
3,515 participants
0.38
effect size for anxiety after eight weeks
0.22 at three to six months
0.30
effect size for depression after eight weeks
0.23 at three to six months
India gave the world many of the traditions behind meditation, and many visitors come for it. The question travellers ask is practical: will it help? The most useful single answer comes from a review that tried to hold the evidence to a high standard.
What did the review do?
A team led by Madhav Goyal at Johns Hopkins searched for randomised clinical trials of meditation programmes that used active comparison groups, to account for placebo effects. They screened 18,753 citations and included 47 trials with 3,515 participants, with searches running to November 2012. Their review appeared in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014.
What did it find?
For mindfulness meditation programmes the authors found moderate evidence of improvement in anxiety, depression and pain:
- Anxiety: an effect size of 0.38 at eight weeks and 0.22 at three to six months.
- Depression: 0.30 at eight weeks and 0.23 at three to six months.
- Pain: 0.33.
Evidence for stress and quality of life was rated low, and the review found low evidence of no effect, or insufficient evidence, for positive mood, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep and weight.
What does an effect size of about 0.3 mean?
Effect size is a way to compare results across trials that measure outcomes differently. As a rough rule, 0.2 is called small and 0.5 medium. An effect of 0.38 is between the two: a real but modest improvement on average, with wide variation between people. Even for anxiety, the range around the estimate was wide, and the later effects were smaller.
What did it not find?
The review found no evidence that meditation programmes were better than any active treatment, such as drugs, exercise or other behavioural therapies. That does not mean they are worse. It means that meditation should be seen as one option among several, and one that many people use alongside other treatment.
What are the limits of the evidence?
- It is dated. The searches stopped in November 2012. More trials have been published since, so check for newer reviews.
- It is about programmes, not retreats. The trials mostly tested structured courses of about eight weeks. A ten-day silent retreat was not what was studied.
- Mindfulness dominates. Most of the evidence is for mindfulness programmes, so it says less about other traditions.
- Averages hide differences. Some people benefit a lot, some not at all, and a few find intensive practice distressing.
What about breathing practices?
A 2023 randomised trial in Cell Reports Medicine compared three brief breathing practices with mindfulness meditation. Participants practised for 5 minutes a day for about a month. A technique called cyclic sighing, which emphasises long exhales, improved mood and lowered respiratory rate more than mindfulness meditation did. The trial was run remotely during the pandemic, used a wearable tracker and daily surveys and did not test patients, so it is a promising result rather than a clinical recommendation. See our guide to pranayama for beginners for a slower introduction.
What should a reader do with this?
- For everyday stress and worry, a regular short practice is a reasonable, low-cost thing to try. Expect modest benefits, and give it a couple of months.
- For anxiety or depression that interferes with life, see a professional first. Meditation can be an addition to treatment.
- For a retreat, go because you want the experience, not because a study promised a cure. See what is Vipassana and silent retreats in India.
- If it makes you feel worse, stop and talk to someone. In India you can also call Tele-MANAS, the government’s free mental health helpline, on 14416; check the Ministry of Health’s website for current details.
Questions readers ask
Does meditation really help with anxiety?
A large review of randomised trials found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation programmes improve anxiety, with a small to moderate effect after eight weeks that was smaller at three to six months. It is a modest benefit, not a cure.
Is meditation as good as medication or therapy?
The review found no evidence that meditation programmes were better than any active treatment, such as drugs, exercise or other behavioural therapies. It does not show they are worse either, and many people use them alongside treatment.
How long before meditation helps?
The trials in the review measured effects after about eight weeks, the length of a standard mindfulness programme. A single retreat or a few days of practice is not what was tested.
Can meditation make things worse?
Some people find intensive meditation distressing, particularly during long silent retreats or when they already have significant symptoms. If a practice makes you feel worse, stop and speak to a professional.
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