Does Meditation Help Stop Cancer From Spreading?

Trials find that high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, make cancer more resistant. Could a daily practice help?

Photo by Chelsea Gates on Unsplash

We all experience stress every day. And our bodies respond by producing cortisol, our primary “stress hormone.” This in turn triggers our “fight or flight” response, enabling us to respond to the stressor. And this is fine and natural. With cortisol going back down when the stressful situation has passed or been resolved.

However, I’m sure we have all been in situations when elevated stress can persist unchecked for a bit too long, and we probably don’t feel great as a result.

It is this stubborn chronic stress that has been investigated in those with cancer.

In most people cortisol rises and falls naturally over the course of the day. In fact it is highest in the morning to prepare the body for action for the day. However, results from early trials have indicated that levels of cortisol in those with cancer remain persistently high. And it seems that cortisol could even increase the capacity for cancer cells to survive and spread.

This story has been reported in quite a few publications so you can read more about it in the The Times here and The Telegraph here.

Dr Kimberly Bussey from Midwestern University states:

“Our data suggests that cortisol might be important in the spread of cancer within the body.”

“Our data is consistent with the literature that suggests that psychosocial stress, particularly if it is chronic, is a contributing factor to both the development of cancer and the response to cancer therapy.”

It is important to note that having cancer alone will obviously cause high levels of stress, and that this research so far has been carried out on cancer cells in a laboratory. Not in human bodies.

Nevertheless, these early findings indicate that high levels of the stress hormone could interfere with the effectiveness of some cancer drugs. Which could have big implications for treatment.

So, the key finding here is that patient’s, as well as those wanting to maintain a healthy lifestyle, should participate in activities that help to lower stress as much as possible. And Bussey suggests that starting and ending our day with such habits could be beneficial:

“In the morning, those practices can support a resilient mental state that helps us manage daily stress better. At night, those same types of practices can help us relax and facilitate getting quality sleep.”

Though the headlines on these trials have focussed on meditation, there are of course lots of other things that can help us lower our stress levels.

Exercise, eating well, time in nature, mindfulness, writing in a gratitude journal, getting enough sleep, spending time with others can all help.

Though I do like the idea of having a consistent habit that we can build into our routines first thing in the morning and right before bed. To set the tone for a great day and great sleep. Even if it is just for ten minutes at a time.

There is a lot to deal with when going through major life events, such as treating cancer, but this early research indicates that creating a plan on how we are going to manage our stress could be hugely beneficial.

Perhaps we could start with a habit we already have and attach an opportunity for some mindfulness to it. Like walking to work or eating a meal. Just taking a few moments to notice our breath, feel our feet on the floor, notice what we can hear around us. It could make all the difference.

Until next time, take care x