The Role of Meditation in Stress Recovery and Performance: An EEG Study
Mohammad H. Ahmed, Mehmet Kaya, Amirtaha Taebi, Peshala Thibbotuwawa Gamage
Volume 5: Biomedical and Biotechnology October 29, 2023 DOI: 10.1115/imece2023-114023 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Healthy adults between 18 and 35 |
| Intervention | Meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Meditation before a stressor did not significantly change recovery time but improved reaction time and accuracy. |
Abstract
Abstract This study aimed to investigate the effects of meditation on recovery time following a stressor and cognitive performance. Two sessions were performed in this study, one as a control without participants meditating prior to the stress task and one with meditation. EEG signals were recorded from 24 channels and processed using frequency domain analysis to measure power in various frequency bands. Participants for this pilot study were 10 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 35. Reaction time and response accuracy were used as performance measures during the stressor with slower reaction times indicating lower levels of alertness. Brain activity prior to the stressor was compared with activity following the stress task, and the time needed to return to baseline was observed. The effect of meditation on recovery time and performance was analyzed and a gradual return to baseline values was observed. Recovery time varied among participants, with some taking longer than others to recover but no significant change was observed with meditation. Performance-wise, participants who meditated prior to the stressor had improved reaction time and accuracy when compared to the control group. The results suggest that interventions such as meditation or mindfulness practices may help individuals improve performance, but further research is needed to confirm these findings.