Mindfulness is a popular form of meditation.
Mindfulness encourages a person to focus on feelings, thoughts, or bodily sensations that are happening in the present moment. This can help distract people from ruminative thoughts and other negative thought patterns.
Guided imagery (GI) is another type of meditation. GI involves mentally visualizing peaceful scenes to promote a state of relaxation.
One 2015 study investigated the combined effects of GI and music (GIM) on work-related anxiety. For this study, the researchers divided 20 participants into 2 groups. One group underwent a 9-week GIM program. The other group received no treatment.
Compared with the no-treatment group, the GIM group showed significant improvements in stress management and well-being. The results also showed a greater reduction in blood cortisol levels for the GIM group.
Further studies are necessary to establish if GIM is helpful for treating other forms of anxiety.