Dose–response effects of reported meditation practice on mental‐health and wellbeing: A prospective longitudinal study

Abstract

The popularity of meditation has surged in recent years, driven by the accessibility of digital platforms. In this context, shorter sessions have become common, often accompanied by claims of substantial benefits. The vast differences in practice intensity—from traditional monastic training and residential retreats to multi‐week Mindfulness‐Based Programs and infrequent digital home practice—raise the question of how much practice is necessary to see meaningful benefits. Our previous analysis of lifetime practice history suggested that 160 hours were required for clinically meaningful improvements in psychological distress and life satisfaction, with more needed for stable changes in affect. However, those findings could not address the effects of newly undertaken practice, the best ways to accumulate experience, or how these effects vary by practice history. This study fills these gaps by examining dose–response relationships in a diverse sample of meditators engaging in self‐directed practice in ecologically valid settings, while testing the moderating effects of practice history, personality traits, and meditation goals. One thousand fifty‐three participants provided data across nine surveys over a two‐month period of prospectively monitored, self‐directed meditation practice, followed by a 2‐ to 4‐year follow‐up. Using a longitudinal design, we examined associations between meditation practice dose and outcomes including positive and negative affect, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. Meditation practice dose was significantly associated with improvements in well‐being, affect, and distress, with practice frequency being a stronger predictor of beneficial outcomes than session duration. During the 2‐month prospective period, after controlling for prior lifetime practice, 35 to 65 minutes daily practice was required for meaningful improvements in well‐being, and 50 to 80 minutes daily was needed for meaningful improvements in mental health outcomes. Dose–response effects were moderated by lifetime practice experience across all outcomes, while negative emotionality moderated the relationship for mental health‐related outcomes. Additionally, valuing mental health as a practice goal moderated dose–response effects for mental health outcomes, and cumulative practice from baseline to follow‐up predicted increased valuation of spiritual growth as a practice goal. Our findings indicate that practitioners with varied practice histories, personality traits, and practice goals/motivations benefit from meditation on outcomes measuring mental health and well‐being, with such benefits maintained over a 2–4 year follow‐up period.