Can meditation help with PTSD? Plus, 5 types to try
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
If you or someone you love has dealt with PTSD, you’ll try almost anything to manage it. Explore how meditation can help with PTSD, and what types of practices are best.
While we might associate the idea of post-traumatic stress disorder with people in the military, the truth is that anyone who has experienced trauma can have PTSD.
Living with PTSD can be extremely challenging, especially if the trauma is fresh. You might deal with terrifying flashbacks, struggle with anxiety, have trouble sleeping, or feel on edge a lot of the time. Your symptoms may even get worse at certain times of year. And all of this can make it tough to just get through the day.
Like many people with PTSD, you might feel like you're constantly searching for ways to manage these difficult feelings, and have probably already tried several ways to find relief. Traditionally, treatments like therapy and medication have been the main options for people with PTSD, and they can be very helpful. But, not everyone responds the same way to these treatments, and many people look for additional options to manage their symptoms. Which is where meditation comes in.
You might have come across meditation as a way to reduce stress or clear your mind, but it can also benefit people dealing with trauma. Let's look at how.
What is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can develop in anyone after they experience or witness a traumatic event — like combat, natural disasters, serious accidents, physical or emotional abuse, or any life-threatening situation.
While some people gradually recover from the emotional effects of trauma, others find that the feelings and memories related to the trauma don’t go away. In fact, they can come back unexpectedly and often feel just as intense as when the event first happened.
PTSD affects everyone a little differently, but some of the most common symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, and hypervigilance — feeling as if danger is around every corner, all the time. These symptoms can also include intense emotional responses, like sadness or anger, especially when something reminds them of the trauma. Day-to-day tasks, like going to work or spending time with loved ones, can make the mind and body react strongly to memories of trauma, so life can feel out of control.
If you have PTSD, you may try to avoid anything that brings up painful memories, which can mean lots of everyday activities feel off-limits. This could include forming relationships with others, and you may not feel safe in familiar or seemingly harmless places.
And of course, these symptoms don’t just affect the person with PTSD — if you're a friend or relative, you likely see the effects on your loved one and want to help, but it can be difficult to know how.
Does meditation help with PTSD?
You've probably heard by now that people use meditation to help them feel calm, less stressed, and more peaceful. If you’re living with PTSD, you know that moments of calm can be hard to come by.
When trauma has left your nervous system in a constant state of high alert, it’s hard to relax, sleep, or feel in control, and that's where meditation can help. It’s a gentle way to practice being present and grounded even when you’re dealing with PTSD.
When you use meditation to help you focus inward, you can begin to quiet your mind by centering on your breath,body, or tuning into specific thoughts or sounds. As you practice more, meditation can build your resilience so you can find relief from the constant sense of anxiety that PTSD can bring.
But, some people may find that meditating un-supervised to start can actually bring traumatic memories to the surface in a way that makes them feel out of control. For this reason, it’s often a good idea to work with a mental health professional when you’re using meditation for PTSD, as they can help you bring it into your treatment plan safely and support you if any challenges do come up.
What the science says
The science exploring how meditation can help people with PTSD is growing, and while more research is needed, early studies have shown promising results.
Scientific studies from organizations like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have been looking into meditation as a way to manage symptoms of PTSD. Here’s a look at what they’ve found so far, and what it might mean for people looking to meditation to support them with their PTSD symptoms.
Reduced stress and anxiety: Studies have shown that meditation practices, particularly mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), can help reduce stress and anxiety levels in people with PTSD. MBSR encourages focusing on the present moment without judgment, which can reduce the negative spiral that PTSD symptoms often cause.
Improved emotional regulation: Research suggests that meditation may help people with PTSD manage their emotions more effectively. Meditation teaches people to observe their thoughts and feelings without reacting immediately, and this “pause” can help with the intense emotions common in PTSD.
Better sleep: Meditation practices such as guided meditation and body scan techniques have shown positive effects on sleep quality, which can be a relief for those dealing with PTSD, since many people find the condition disrupts their sleep patterns to bring issues like insomnia or nightmares.
Long-term mental health benefits: Regular meditation practice has been shown to lead to long-term improvements in mental health for people with PTSD. A study from the VA found that veterans who meditated consistently for several months reported reduced PTSD symptoms, improved mental health, and increased feelings of connection to others. This sense of connection can be especially healing for those who feel isolated because of the trauma they’ve experienced.
What to know about meditation and PTSD before you get started
If you’re thinking about trying meditation to help with PTSD symptoms, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind to make sure it’s a positive and helpful experience.
Combine meditation with professional treatment
Meditation can offer a lot of benefits, but it’s best used as a complement to other PTSD treatments, not a replacement. Therapy and medication are often essential for managing PTSD, and meditation can work well as an additional tool that supports those treatments.
If you’re currently in therapy, ask your therapist about how you can bring meditation safely into your recovery plan — they’ll be able to give you personalized guidance, and may even be able to suggest specific techniques for your needs and goals.
Go slow and start small with your meditation
For people with PTSD, long meditation sessions can feel intense or overwhelming when they first give it a try. Again, seeking guidance from a mental health professional at the jump is recommended. The mind can wander during meditation, and if it goes into some darker places you may want help guiding it back to the present moment.
Start with just a few minutes of meditation a day so you can ease yourself into the practice without feeling pressured. You might begin with just two or five minutes of focusing on your breath, noticing how it feels to take slow, deep breaths. Check out our 11 tips to help you start meditating daily.
When you’ve practiced this a few times and begun to feel more comfortable, you can gradually increase the length of your sessions.
Choose a safe environment to meditate
It’s important to find a quiet, safe place where you can relax without interruptions, to help you feel secure when you’re working through any emotional challenges that may come up during meditation. Knowing you’re in a safe, private space can also make it easier to focus on your practice and feel at ease.
Pick a corner of your room, a spot in the garden, or maybe even your car if that feels comforting. If you have a trusted friend or family member nearby, you might like to let them know that you’re planning to try meditation, so they’ll be around if you experience strong emotions and need some support.
Recognize and respect your limits when you’re trying meditation
Not every meditation technique will work for everyone with PTSD. Some people find that certain meditation practices—like focusing on the breath or holding the breath for long periods of silence—can bring up difficult memories or increase their anxiety.
If this happens, know that it’s always okay to stop or take a break when something doesn’t feel right. Meditation should feel supportive, not stressful.
One way to work within your limits, especially if you’re new to meditation, is to try a guided meditation. The easy-to-follow structure can help you feel safe, so you can relax and focus on the present.
Be patient with yourself as you meditate
Meditation is a gradual process, so rather than expecting immediate results, think of it as a way to gently retrain your mind and body to find a sense of peace. It may take some time before you notice significant changes, and it’s natural to feel restless or distracted at first, especially if you’re dealing with PTSD symptoms like hypervigilance or intrusive thoughts.
As you continue to practice, you may start to notice small changes, like feeling less anxious or more in control when you’re facing a trigger.
Try out different types of meditation
Meditation can come in all shapes and sizes, like mindfulness meditation or loving-kindness meditation. Each one offers different benefits, so if one technique doesn’t feel right for you, try exploring others.
You can even mix and match to get the benefits of several types of meditation, as you build a practice that works for you.
5 types of meditation to help with PTSD
There are several types of meditation, and each one comes with different benefits, like helping you feel more grounded, relaxed, and resilient. Some are particularly helpful for managing the symptoms of PTSD, so let’s explore five types of meditation that can support your recovery.
1. Mindfulness meditation
Mindfulness meditation is one of the most well-known types of meditation, and it can be especially helpful for people with PTSD. Mindfulness involves focusing your attention on the present moment and noticing any thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they come up — without trying to judge or control them. If you want to give it a try, take a look at these eight tips to help you develop present moment awareness.
In mindfulness meditation, you might begin by focusing on your breath, noticing each inhale and exhale. If a thought, memory, or emotion comes up, you simply observe it and then gently bring your focus back to your breath. Over time, this helps you create a bit of distance between yourself and your thoughts, which can make it easier to recognize that you’re safe in the present moment.
How to practice: To try mindfulness meditation, start with just a few minutes a day where you try to focus only on your breathing or the sensations in your body to help you feel more calm and in control.
💙 If you’re new to mindfulness meditation, try our Mindfulness For Beginners course with Jeff Warren.
2. Body scan meditation
Body scan meditation is a form of mindfulness meditation, but instead of focusing on the breath, you slowly bring your awareness to different areas of the body, noticing any sensations or feelings in each part.
If you have PTSD, doing a body scan meditation can be grounding. Trauma can often make you feel disconnected from your body, so this practice is a gentle way to reconnect and feel more anchored in the present. It’s also helpful for reducing tension you might be holding in your muscles, as the stress of PTSD can make them feel tight or rigid. This practice can be calming, and it’s often especially useful to help you relax before bed.
How to practice: To begin a body scan, start by sitting or lying down in a comfortable position. Start by focusing on your toes, noticing any sensations there, and then slowly move up your body, through your legs, torso, arms, and head noticing what you feel in each area. If you spot tension, take a moment to breathe into them, allowing yourself to release any tightness if you can.
💙 Want to give a body scan a try? Check out Tamara Levitt’s Body Scan meditation series which has a variety of lengths.
3. Guided visualization
Guided visualizations, sometimes called guided imagery, involve picturing calming and positive images in your mind. You might imagine yourself in a peaceful setting that you know, like a favourite beach, forest, or mountain. It can be a great option for beginners, or if you feel anxious about trying meditation.
Guided visualization can help with PTSD by giving your mind a clear, positive focus. Since trauma often involves intrusive, negative memories, visualization can help you replace those thoughts with something peaceful and safe.
How to practice: To get started, find a quiet, comfortable place, close your eyes and start to imagine yourself in a peaceful place. Really “see” yourself there, even noticing the sounds, smells, or feelings that you might encounter. If you want more guidance, check out these eight visualization exercises.
4. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM)
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM), also known as “metta” meditation, is about cultivating feelings of kindness, compassion, and love toward yourself and others. This meditation involves silently repeating phrases like, “May I be happy. May I be safe. May I be at peace.” You can then extend these wishes to others in your life — friends, family, and even people you don’t know well.
Loving-kindness meditation can be especially healing for people with PTSD, as trauma can lead to feelings of self-criticism, guilt, or isolation. PTSD can make it hard to feel connected to yourself and others, and LKM gently encourages compassion and acceptance, which can help reduce feelings of loneliness.
How to practice: To try loving-kindness meditation, sit quietly and start by focusing on yourself, repeating kind phrases directed toward your wellbeing. Then, gradually expand those wishes to include others. This practice can feel a bit awkward at first, but keep going! With time, it can bring a comforting sense of warmth and connection.
💙 Start being kind to yourself, with a Loving-Kindness meditation from Tamara Levitt
5. Breath-focused meditation
Breath-focused meditation is a simple but effective technique where you focus entirely on your breathing. By paying attention to the sensations of each inhale and exhale, you’re training your mind to stay in the present moment. This technique is great for people with PTSD because trauma often keeps the body in a state of “fight or flight,” with a rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing.
By practicing slow, deep, controlled breathing you’re sending signals to your body that it’s okay to relax, which can help calm the nervous system and reduce your body’s stress response. If focusing too heavily on the breath creates feelings of anxiety, stop this practice and try one that focuses more on relaxing the mind like visualization.
How to practice: Start by sitting comfortably and focusing on your breath as it naturally flows in and out. If you find it helpful, count each breath up to ten, and then start over again for a few minutes. If you want a bit more guidance, follow these seven steps to try a breath meditation.
Meditation and PTSD FAQs
Why is PTSD so hard to treat?
PTSD is challenging to treat because it affects both the mind and body in complex ways. PTSD can change how the brain processes memories, emotions, and physical sensations.
When someone goes through trauma, the brain’s natural response is to protect itself by staying on high alert, ready to react to danger at any moment. Of course, this “fight-or-flight” response is helpful in emergencies, but with PTSD it becomes stuck in overdrive. The brain and nervous system remain on constant alert, which makes it hard to feel calm, safe, or relaxed.
PTSD symptoms can look very different from one person to another. Some people experience flashbacks, where they feel like they’re reliving the traumatic event, while others feel emotionally numb or disconnected from their surroundings. Many people also struggle with intense emotions, like anger, sadness, or guilt, and that can make day-to-day life feel overwhelming.
The diverse mix of symptoms means that treatment needs to be tailored to each person, and finding the right combination of therapy, medication, and coping strategies can take time.
Can meditation replace therapy for PTSD?
Meditation can be a helpful tool for managing PTSD symptoms, but it’s not meant to replace therapy. (Curious how mindfulness and therapy can work together? Explore these nine ways.)
Therapists trained in trauma care can help you process difficult memories, build coping skills, and work through the complex emotions that come with PTSD. They might use trauma-focused therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), to address the underlying causes and symptoms of PTSD in a safe and supportive environment.
Meditation does have a place in coping with PTSD, though. It can help reduce anxiety, improve focus, and increase emotional resilience, supporting your work with your therapist by helping you stay calm and grounded between sessions. It can also make it easier to handle intense emotions or triggers that come up during day-to-day life.
What is the best meditation practice for someone new to PTSD management?
If you’re new to managing PTSD with meditation, it’s usually best to start with a gentle, structured form of meditation, like mindfulness meditation or guided visualization.
Mindfulness meditation encourages you to focus on the present moment, often by concentrating on your breath or sensations in your body. This can help create a sense of grounding, which can be especially valuable when you’re coping with PTSD. By practicing observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, mindfulness can help you learn to respond to your emotions more calmly. It helps put you in control again.
Guided visualization is another beginner-friendly option, as it offers a specific focus — like imagining yourself in a peaceful setting. Having a guided focus point can be comforting and helps keep intrusive thoughts at bay, so you can stay more calm and centered.
When you’re just starting, aim for short, 5–10 minute sessions. This way, you can ease into meditation without feeling overwhelmed. If a session doesn’t feel as supportive and calming as you’d hoped, it’s okay to stop and try something different until you find what works best for you.
How long does it take for meditation to reduce PTSD symptoms?
When you practice meditation regularly, it can take a little time to see noticeable changes, especially if you’re managing PTSD.
Many people start feeling some initial benefits—like reduced stress or a greater sense of calm—after a few weeks of regular practice. For deeper changes, such as improved emotional resilience or better sleep, it can take a few months of consistent meditation practice to see meaningful results. Studies have shown that people practicing mindfulness or breath-focused meditation daily for 8–12 weeks often experience reductions in PTSD symptoms, including anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances.
The key to making meditation effective for PTSD is consistency. Practicing daily or several times a week allows your mind and body to gradually adapt to a calmer state, which can begin to make it easier to manage your symptoms.
Even if the benefits feel small at first, they often build: think of meditation as a skill like learning to play an instrument or exercise — it takes time and repetition to see lasting improvement.
Are there risks to meditating with PTSD?
While meditation can be beneficial, there are some risks to know about, especially if you have PTSD.
Meditation encourages focusing inward, which can sometimes bring up difficult memories or emotions. For some people, this introspection can feel overwhelming, causing anxiety, flashbacks, or even an increase in PTSD symptoms — especially in the beginning. Always approach meditation gently and choose practices that feel safe and comfortable.
A good place to begin might be guided meditations, or focusing on practices that involve external anchors like body scan or breath-focused meditation, as these can help you create a safer experience. Talk about meditation with a mental health professional: many therapists understand meditation and can guide you on which practices are likely to be safest for your unique needs.
If you ever feel uncomfortable or triggered during meditation, it’s perfectly okay to stop. Trauma can make the mind very sensitive, and there’s no need to push yourself if a practice feels too intense. Allow yourself to go gently and listen to your body so you can respect your limits
Calm your mind. Change your life.
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