For breast cancer survivors, previous research has suggested that meditation and yoga promote numerous health benefits, such as reducing fatigue and stress. Now, a new study claims these activities or getting involved in support groups may be beneficial at a cellular level.

Share on Pinterest Mindfulness-based meditation incorporating yoga and emotional support groups were found to offer benefits at a cellular level for breast cancer survivors.

The research team – from the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services’ Tom Baker Cancer Centre, both in Canada – found that mindfulness meditation and gentle Hatha yoga or attending emotional support groups protected the telomeres of breast cancer survivors.

Telomeres are structures at the end of chromosomes that protect them from damage. Shortened telomeres are associated with increased aging and risk of disease, while longer telomeres are believed to protect against disease.

“We already know that psychosocial interventions like mindfulness meditation will help you feel better mentally, but now for the first time we have evidence that they can also influence key aspects of your biology,” says principal investigator Linda E. Carlson, PhD, of the Department of Psychological Resources at the Tom Baker Cancer Center.

To reach their findings, published in the journal Cancer, Carlson and colleagues enrolled 271 female breast cancer survivors of an average age of 55. The women had completed all medical treatments at least 3 months prior to the study and were experiencing high levels of emotional stress.

Some of the women were randomly assigned to a mindfulness-based cancer recovery group, in which they were required to attend a 90-minute group session of mindfulness meditation and gentle Hatha yoga once a week for 8 weeks. In addition, the women were asked to practice meditation and yoga at home for 45 minutes a day.

Other participants were placed in a supportive express therapy group. They were required to a attend a 90-minute group session once a week for 12 weeks, in which they were encouraged to talk about their feelings and concerns with other women in the group.

Acting as controls, some of the women were assigned to attend one 6-hour stress management class.

To allow the researchers to assess participants’ telomere length, blood samples were taken from the women before and after they completed their assigned interventions.