How Long Do You Need to Meditate?
A Review of the Science
It is a classic joke that if you do not have time to meditate for twenty minutes, you should meditate for an hour. Admittedly, there’s a germ of truth there. But the joke is perhaps not so funny for an overworked single mom or nurse pressured by understaffing.
In the most scientifically studied mindfulness program, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), participants are supposed to meditate 45–60 minutes, six days a week, for eight weeks.
But for many, 45 minutes a day is too much of an obligation.
Short and sweet
So what does the science really say? How much do you have to meditate to notice results in everyday life? Here are some studies that give us a clue.
Anxiety and associated problems are a common target for mindfulness programs, and studies show good results. But you do not need two months to get some relief. Even for beginners, just a single one-hour meditation session may be enough to significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in those with moderate anxiety.
In fact, a few twenty-minute meditation sessions on separate days may be just as effective as a continuous hour. In a study on meditation and pain, four such sessions yielded a clear reduction in pain experience.
