Mindfulness meditation, well-being, and heart rate variability: a preliminary investigation into the impact of intensive Vipassana meditation.
International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology September 1, 2013 Jonathan R. Krygier, James A J Heathers, Sara Shahrestani et al.
A 10-day intensive Vipassana meditation retreat increased well-being and decreased ill-being in 36 participants. Heart rate variability (HRV) was measured during a 5-minute resting baseline and a 5-minute meditation session before and after the retreat. During meditation after the retreat, normalized high-frequency power increased and Traube-Hering-Mayer waves decreased compared to baseline, indicating a shift in baroreflex activity rather than increased parasympathetic activity. These changes are consistent with attentional load and the concept of 'flow'—a state of full immersion in an activity. The results align with HRV changes reported in other meditation studies.