Meditation, Compassionate Love, and Mental Health in Later Life.
Journal of gerontological nursing March 1, 2024 Nirmala Lekhak, Tirth Bhatta, Eva Kahana et al.
Meditation is linked to better mental health in older adults partly through fostering compassionate love. In a nationwide web-based survey of 1,861 participants, those who meditated reported significantly higher feelings of being loved. Greater feelings of love were associated with lower depressive symptoms and anxiety. Meditation had indirect effects on both depressive symptoms and anxiety through compassionate love. The findings suggest that contemplative practices that cultivate compassionate love may help improve mental health in later life.