Multiscale cardiorespiratory complexity reveals autonomic signatures of Rajyoga meditation.
Raghuwansh Singh, Rajanikant Panda, Mika P. Tarvainen, Vivek Ranjan, Anindita Ganguly, Suman Halder
Frontiers in Psychology June 4, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1792917 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 55 |
| Population | Trained Rajyoga practitioners (31 male, 24 female) |
| Intervention | Rajyoga meditation |
| Duration | Three consecutive 10-min states: pre-meditation, during meditation, and post-meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Meditation was associated with robust state-dependent modulation of HRV indices, reduced respiration frequency, and strengthened HRV-respiration coupling, consistent with increased parasympathetic engagement. |
Abstract
Introduction: Meditation offers a tractable model for probing altered states of consciousness, yet consistent physiological markers remain elusive. This study characterized within-subject autonomic and respiratory modulation across pre-meditation, during-meditation, and post-meditation states in trained Rajyoga practitioners using multiscale heart rate variability (HRV) metrics and HRV-respiration coupling. Sex-stratified analyses were presented exploratorily to summarize state-dependent effects.
Methods: A single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded from 55 Rajyoga practitioners (31 male, 24 female) during three consecutive 10-min states: pre-meditation, during meditation, and post-meditation. After artifact correction, 27 HRV indices spanning time-domain, frequency-domain, and non-linear dynamics, including multiscale entropy (MSE 1-20), were computed in Kubios HRV Scientific. State-dependent effects were tested using Friedman tests with Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc contrasts, and cardiorespiratory coupling was assessed through correlations between respiration frequency and low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) HRV powers.
Results: Meditation was associated with robust state-dependent modulation. Time-domain indices and frequency-domain powers increased during meditation with partial post-session recovery, while selected non-linear features shifted significantly. Respiration frequency was reduced, and HRV-respiration coupling was strengthened, consistent with increased parasympathetic engagement. Exploratory sex-stratified summaries indicated potential differences in effect magnitudes that warrant confirmation in studies powered for interaction testing.
Discussion: These findings identify a reproducible physiological signature of the meditative state by integrating HRV magnitude, complexity, and cardiorespiratory coupling. The results support the usefulness of multiscale cardiorespiratory analysis as an operational marker of altered consciousness induced by Rajyoga meditation.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- Rajyoga meditation induces grey matter volume changes in regions that process reward and happiness Scientific Reports September 30, 2020
- Heart rate variability during mindful breathing meditation Frontiers in Physiology January 23, 2023
- Changes in high-order interaction measures of synergy and redundancy during non-ordinary states of consciousness induced by meditation, hypnosis, and auto-induced cognitive trance. Neuroimage June 1, 2024
- The effects of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training on heart rate variability in panic disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Indian Journal of Psychiatry March 1, 2025
- The Effects of Mindfulness and Meditation on Vagally Mediated Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis. Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2021
and 4 more in the library