Meditation Statistics (2025): Usage, Benefits & Research

By 2025, meditation evolves beyond a wellness trend into a worldwide movement embraced by over 275 million individuals.

In the U.S., middle-aged adults (ages 45–64) are at the forefront, with 15.9% engaging in meditation.

India boasts the largest number of practitioners, at 80.7 million, while meditation applications, such as “Calm,” contribute to a $1.4 billion market, projected to grow to $7.25 billion by 2033.

Women continue to be nearly twice as likely to meditate compared to men. Scientifically, 92% of practitioners engage in meditation primarily for stress relief, and long-term users report reductions in anxiety of up to 60%. 

This data-driven overview examines who meditates, the reasons behind it, and its global effects. Let us check it out!

How Many People Meditate In 2025? (Top Picks)

  • 275 million people worldwide meditated as of 2025. 
  • 15.9% of U.S. adults aged 45–64 are the most active meditators by age group.
  • Women are nearly twice as likely as men to meditate—10.3% vs 5.2%.
  • India leads globally with 80.7 million meditators, followed by the U.S. with 37.9 million.
  • 92% of meditators use it for stress relief; 60% reported reduced anxiety after 6–9 months.
  • Meditation apps generated $1.4 billion in 2023, projected to hit $7.25 billion by 2033.
  • “Calm” earned $7.68 million in in-app purchases in early 2024—#1 among meditation apps.
  • Workplace meditation boosted focus for 86% of employees and reduced stress for 82%.

Meditation By Age Group: Who’s Meditating The Most In 2025?

  • As of 2025, approximately 275 million people practice meditation. (Source: Mindfulness Box)
  • When it comes to meditation in the U.S., middle-aged adults are leading the way.
  • Approximately 15.9% of adults aged 45–64 practice meditation.
Age-Wse Distribution of Meditators

Here’s a snapshot of the age-wise distribution of meditators:

Age GroupPercentage of U.S. Adults Who Meditate
18 to 44 years13.4%
45 to 64 years15.9%
Over 65 years13.4%

(Source: NCHS)

Gender Differences In Meditation Habits

  • Globally, women are nearly twice as likely as men to engage in meditation. Around 10.3% of women meditate, compared to only 5.2% of men. (Source: NCHS)
Gender Gap In Meditation
  • Around 55% of women say they meditate at least once a week, compared to 48% of men.
  • On the flip side, 53% of men report meditating only a few times a year, slightly higher than 47% of women.

These findings indicate that women tend to have a more consistent weekly meditation practice, whereas men are more inclined to meditate sporadically or not at all. Below is a summary presented in table format:

Frequency of MeditationMen (%)Women (%)
At least once a week4855
Once or twice a month4852
Several times a year5347
Seldom or never5149
Not sure / Don’t know5347

(Source: Yoga Vidya School)

Meditation Usage By Country: Global Comparison

  • India has the highest number of meditators, with 80.7 million people. Followed by the United States, with 37.9 million meditators.
World Map Infographic

Here are the top 5 country-specific meditation rates:

CountryNumber of MeditatorsPercentage
India80.7 million8.1%
United States37.9 million18.3%
China12.2 million0.9%
Germany10.9 million15.1%
Australia3.04 million15%

(Source: Mindfulness Box)

  • 18.3% of US adults practiced meditation in 2022 (Source: NIH, Nature)
  • 60.53 million people in the USA reported using meditation between 2002–2022 (Source: Nature)
  • Non-Hispanic White adults have a higher meditation rate at 15.2%, followed closely by non-Hispanic Black adults at 13.5%. Hispanic adults report a lower meditation rate at 10.9%. (Source- NLM)
  • Between 200 and 500 million people meditate worldwide, representing 2% to 6.25% of the global population. (Source: MindWorks, Global Wellness Institute)

Meditation App Market & Usage Stats

  • In the United States, nearly 5 out of every 100 health-related app downloads are for meditation apps.
  • Meditation and mental wellness apps generated around $1.4 billion globally in 2023 alone.
  • This global market is set to grow over five times bigger by 2033, reaching more than $7.25 billion.
Meditation App Revenue Growth

Here’s how the market is expected to grow over time:

YearEstimated Revenue (in $ Billion)
20231.39
20241.64
20251.93
20262.28
20272.69
20283.17
20293.74
20304.42

(Source- Statista)

  • The app “Calm” made the highest revenue, earning close to $7.7 million through in-app purchases in early 2024.
Top-Grossing Meditation Apps

Below is a list of the 10 best-performing health & meditation apps globally based on their revenue in January 2024:

RankApp NameRevenue (in $ Million)
1Calm7.68
2Headspace4.02
3Sleep Cycle1.36
4BetterSleep1.22
5Waking Up1.20
6Insight Timer1.11
7Balance0.96
8Ten Percent Happier0.65
9Gaia0.57
10SleepWatch0.53

(Source- Statista)

What Does Meditation Do? [Scientifically Backed Facts]

  • While meditating, theta (4–7.5 Hz) and alpha (8–13 Hz) brain waves increase, linked to greater awareness and relaxation (Source: Science Direct)
Why People Meditate (Motivations & Benefits)
  • Meditation induces neuroplasticity, increases cortical thickness, reduces amygdala reactivity, and improves brain connectivity. (Source: NIH)

Meditation Facts (Short-Term Vs Long-Term Effects)

  • Brain changes can occur in as little as 8 weeks of meditation training with 20-40 minutes daily practice. (Source: Harvard)
  • First-time meditation shows immediate changes in brain wave activity in key regions like the amygdala and hippocampus. (Source: Mount Sinai)

Meditation Effects On Hormonal And Physiological Changes

  • 80% of people with hypertension were able to lower blood pressure with meditation, 16% stopped medication entirely.
  • Meditation increases telomerase enzyme by 43%, which is needed to delay diseases, including Alzheimer’s. (Source: NIH, Science Direct 2, Mayo Clinic, Frontiers)

Meditation Statistics On Stress Reduction

  • Over 92% of people who practice meditation do it to reduce stress or relax. (Source: Pew Research Center)
  • Nearly two-thirds of people who practiced meditation for 6-9 months reduced anxiety by 60%. (Source: Nature)

Meditation Statistics On Anxiety Control

  • Meditation improves anxiety levels 60% of the time. (Source: Disturb Me Not)
  • 25% of meditators experience adverse effects, including panic attacks and depression, particularly those predisposed to mindfulness processes. (Source: Plos)

Better Focus And Memory With Meditation

  • 30+ minutes of mindfulness meditation increases gray matter in the hippocampus (learning and memory center) (Source: Nature)
  • Four days of meditation practice can increase attention span (Source: NCBI)

Pain Management Related Statistics On Meditation

  • 65% of individuals with chronic pain conditions reported improved pain management after adopting MBSR programs. (Source: NCBI)
  • Mindfulness meditation helped back pain sufferers improve daily task ability by 30%. (Source: MDPI)

Meditation & Improved Emotional Well-Being

  • Meditation reduces depression relapse by 12% (Source: Science Direct)
  • 73% of PTSD veterans showed reduced symptoms with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. (Source: MDPI)

Physical Health Improvements With Meditation

  • Meditation can reduce hospitalization risk for coronary disease by 87%. (Source: Disturb Me Not)
  • Meditation can reduce the wake time of insomniacs by 50%. (Source: MDPI)

Meditation Benefits For The Brain

  • Long-term meditators show greater grey matter density in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. (Source: NLM)
  • Vipassana meditators show higher degree of connectivity in the right hippocampus in the theta band compared to controls. (Source: NCBI)

Neuroplasticity And Gray Matter Growth

  • MBSR enhances brain regions related to emotional processing and sensory perception. (Source: Research Gate)
  • Enhanced myelination facilitates faster neural communication through meditation. (Source: Lone Star Neurology)

Brain Imaging Studies

  • Loving-kindness meditation alters beta and gamma brain waves in the amygdala and hippocampus. (Source: Mount Sinai)
  • fMRI studies show sustained changes in brain activity even when individuals are not actively meditating. (Source: Harvard Gazette)

Suggested Reads:

Meditation in the Workplace: A Growing Trend

  • 86% of employees reported that meditation has enhanced their focus and concentration during work-related tasks.
  • 82% agreed that meditation helped them manage workplace stress and anxiety more effectively.
Meditation in the Workplace (Employee Stats)
  • 79% felt that meditation improved their overall well-being at work.
  • 76% stated that integrating meditation into their daily routine led to better workplace productivity.
  • 74% observed improved interpersonal relationships at work as a result of meditation (Source: Human Resource Journal)
  • Over half of American employers offer mindfulness training to employees.
  • The global corporate wellness market, which includes mindfulness programs, is valued at over $50 billion. (Source: HRB)

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