Effect of Meditation on Galvanic Skin Response
Takhellambam Surbala, Monika Nachane, Surabhi Beronica Lakra
International Journal of Health Sciences and Research February 20, 2026 DOI: 10.52403/ijhsr.20260243 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Apparently healthy MBBS student volunteers aged 18-25 years |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Duration | 20 minutes a day, five times a week for three months |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Skin conductance Relaxation psychology Interquartile range Wilcoxon signed-rank test Audiology Physical therapy Sensation Autonomic nervous system |
| Key findings | Three months of regular meditation practice significantly increased galvanic skin response (GSR) in healthy young individuals. |
Abstract
Background: Meditation is a mental practice in which a person intentionally focuses their mind on a particular object, thought, sensation or awareness to cultivate calmness, clarity, emotional balance and heightened consciousness. Meditation significantly influences the autonomic nervous system by reducing sympathetic activity and enhancing parasympathetic activity.
Aim: The present study was conducted to find out the effect of regular meditation practice on galvanic skin response (GSR) in apparently healthy medical undergraduates. Methodology: An experimental study was conducted in the Department of Physiology on 50 apparently healthy MBBS student volunteers aged 18- 25 years. Baseline GSR recordings were obtained prior to the meditation sessions. The meditation sessions were kept for 20 minutes a day, five times a week for three months. GSR recordings were again taken after the completion of the three months meditation program. The pre & post- intervention values of GSR were compared using the Wilcoxon Signed- rank test.
Result: A statistically significant increase in GSR was observed in the participants after three months of regular meditation sessions. The median interquartile range (IQR) of GSR increased from 267.5 to 534.5 with a p- value of < 0.001.
Conclusion: Regular meditation practice for three months resulted in a significant increase in galvanic skin response (GSR) in apparently healthy young individuals. Therefore, meditation can be used as an effective method to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety. Key words: Meditation, galvanic skin response, electro dermal response, skin conductance
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- STUDY OF EFFECT OF MEDITATION ON GALVANIC SKIN RESPONSE IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS International Journal of Medical and Biomedical Studies April 29, 2019
- Effect of meditation on stress-induced changes in cognitive functions. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine March 2011
- The effects of running and meditation on beta-endorphin, corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol in plasma, and on mood. Biological Psychology June 1, 1995