The Downsides of Meditation, Quantified

You Should Know: Meditation is a go-to for many looking to cultivate calm and squash stress. The practice has long been touted for its many health benefits. But new research suggests meditation has potential to produce some unpleasant side effects along with all that serenity.

Going Deeper: That people can experience panic attacks, upsetting memories of past trauma, or even dissociation while meditating isn’t a new finding. To determine how common they are, researchers recruited nearly 900 beginner to advanced meditators. They completed a checklist of 30 side effects after meditating.

Takeaway: Nearly 60% reported at least one side effect (like feeling anxious), and about 30% said they experienced challenging or distressing effects. Researchers also pinpointed some risk factors. Participants who had mental-health symptoms or psychological distress within 30 days of meditating were more likely to report upsetting effects, as were those who attended intensive retreats with long meditation sessions. 

Bottom Line: This study’s findings were correlative, not causal. If you like meditating, you don’t need to quit — just like you shouldn’t stop exercising because you could possibly sprain your ankle. Still, if you’re concerned, get some guidance from a therapist or other provider first. Meditation can work wonders but might not be for everyone.