Investigating the impact of mindful breathing meditation on brain waves: a study on young adults
Meenalosini Vimal Cruz, Suhaima Jamal, Camden Wahl, Sibi Chakkaravarthy Sethuraman
Neuropsychological Trends April 1, 2024 DOI: 10.7358/neur-2024-035-cruz (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Young adults |
| Intervention | Mindful breathing meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Brain waves Breathing Mindfulness meditation Audiology Cognitive psychology Psychotherapist Electroencephalography |
| Key points | Mindful breathing meditation significantly increases alpha wave power in young adults. |
Abstract
Extensive evidence affirms meditation’s impact on both physical and mental well-being, consistently highlighting increased alpha power during meditation. This study investigates how mindful breathing meditation affects brain waves in young adults, using EEG data from 15 participants. Focusing on boosting alpha wave power, the study shows a significant postmeditation increase. Data was processed with Finite Impulse Filters, Independent Component Analysis, Short-term Fourier analysis, and power spectral density analysis. The results highlight substantial alpha wave changes pre- and post-meditation. Additionally, data was preprocessed for machine learning-based classifiers (Support Vector Machine, Logistic Regression, Decision Forest, and Naïve Bayes) to categorize brain waves into Delta, Theta, Low Alpha, High Alpha, Low Beta, and High Beta. Comparative analysis reveals the strong impact of mindful breathing meditation and binaural beats on brain wave patterns. This research enhances our understanding of meditation’s physiological effects on brain function, emphasizing its potential for improving mental well-being.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 15
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- Quantitative change of EEG and respiration signals during mindfulness meditation Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation May 14, 2014
- The neuroscience of meditation: classification, phenomenology, correlates, and mechanisms. Progress in Brain Research 2019
- A Systematic Review of Transcendent States Across Meditation and Contemplative Traditions. Explore 2018
- EEG Derived Neuronal Dynamics during Meditation: Progress and Challenges Advances in Preventive Medicine 2015
and 10 more in the library