Acute fall and long-term rise in oxygen saturation in response to meditation.
Psychophysiology December 1, 2017 Nicolò F Bernardi, Marco Bordino, Lucio Bianchi et al.
Meditation acutely lowers arterial and cerebral oxygen saturation, reduces chemoreflex sensitivity, and prolongs the RR interval, independently of respiration. In contrast, slow breathing improves heart rate variability regardless of concurrent meditation. Individuals with long-term meditation practice show higher baseline arterial and cerebral oxygen saturation, lower blood pressure, and slower baseline respiration, suggesting repeated exposure may lead to long-term adaptation through increased ventilatory efficiency and improved gas exchanges.