Meditation eased immediate anxiety in a small speed-skater trial
University-level athletes had a greater reduction in state anxiety scores with focused attention meditation than with random thinking; cycling performance differences were not statistically significant.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
In this small crossover trial, focused attention meditation produced a greater reduction in state anxiety scores than random thinking before intense cycling. Average power and fatigue measures did not differ significantly across the tested conditions. This supports an immediate anxiety finding in these athletes, while leaving longer-term effects and performance equivalence unresolved.
This abstract-based account covers a small athlete sample and immediate responses. It does not establish longer-term anxiety relief, effects in nonathletes, or equivalent exercise performance across conditions.
What researchers found
Change in state anxiety scores
Immediately after the pre-exercise intervention, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score changes favored focused attention meditation over random thinking.
How the comparison worked
The same skaters completed meditation, controlled breathing and random thinking on separate occasions, in randomized order. This let researchers compare responses to different preparations within the same group of athletes.
Anxiety and physiology differed
Controlled breathing showed a change in heart-rate variability, whereas the reported anxiety advantage concerned meditation versus random thinking. These different outcomes do not establish that meditation was superior to breathing for anxiety.
The original publication
Focused Attention Meditation as a Pre-Exercise Strategy for Reducing Anxiety in Speed Skaters.
Tomita Y, Yokoo M, Shimoda K et al.
Sensors (Basel) · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41600272
- Record checked
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