Meditation as a Tool for Stress Reduction and Cardiovascular Health Improvement in Higher Education: A Quantitative Study

Abstract

This study examines how mindfulness, transcendental, and guided imagery meditation techniques affect blood pressure and subjective stress levels in higher education students in Uttarakhand, India. A sample of 400 participants was studied quantitatively using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. Participants practiced various meditation techniques for eight weeks, and changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as reported stress levels, were recorded. The intervention resulted in significant reductions in both blood pressure measures (systolic: 70%, diastolic: 65%) and perceived stress levels (75%). Regression and correlation studies revealed a robust link between meditation practice and improved cardiovascular health and stress management. These findings support for incorporating meditation into campus wellness programs to improve student well-being and academic performance, emphasizing the need for more study into long-term impacts and varied meditation modalities for optimal student health initiatives.

Keywords

• mindfulness meditation
• transcendental meditation
• blood pressure
• perceived stress
• higher education