This study in collaboration with the American National Institute of Health followed mortality patterns over a period of 19 years after adults with high blood pressure were taught the Transcendental Meditation technique, or participated in controlled interventions. The results showed a 23% decrease in mortality rates by all causes, and a 30% decrease in mortality rates for heart diseases in the TM group, as compared to the control group.Ref.American Journal of Cardiology 95: 1060–1064, 2005

This follow up study on a group of elderly people (average age of 80.7 years) that were randomly assigned to learn the Transcendental Meditation Programme or up to three different control groups (mindfulness, another meditation technique and no meditation practice) found that those who were taught the Transcendental Meditation technique lived significantly longer than those in the other three groups.Ref.Circulation 93: 629 (Abstract), 1996

Higher levels of plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sufate (DHEA-S) later in life are associated with better health. This substance generally reduces in the body after the mid-twenties. Those who practiced Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation technique turned out to have higher levels of plasma DHEA-S than the control group. This graph shows the average levels among male TM practitioners over the age of 50; female practitioners showed similar results.Ref.Journal of Behavioral Medicine  15: 327–341, 1992

Elderly persons who practice the TM technique showed a faster response in the brain to visual stimuli (shorter latency of P300 response) in comparison to a control group of the same age. This type of brain response normally slows down with age, and this finding therefore shows a reversal of the aging process that occurs through the regular practice of the TM programme.Ref.Psychophysiology 26: S29 (Abstract), 1989