Mindfulness-based intervention alters nonlinear heart rate variability in a pilot study.
Yu Gao, Liat Zitron, Serena Guo
Discover Mental Health April 11, 2026 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-026-00444-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | First-year college students |
| Duration | Six-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Heart rate variability Parasympathetic Stress |
| Key findings | Participants in the MBI group exhibited significantly lower DFA α1 values in response to acute stressors compared to the control group, while no differences were found for heart rate or RMSSD. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been consistently associated with reductions in perceived stress and anxiety. One proposed mechanism underlying these effects involves a shift toward parasympathetic dominance during stress exposure, facilitating enhanced emotion regulation and physiological adaptability; however, empirical evidence on this mechanism remains inclusive. In this randomized controlled trial, 25 first-year college students were assigned to either a six-week MBI program or an active control condition. Psychophysiological responses to acute stressors were assessed in conjunction with self-reported measures of stress and anxiety, both before and after the intervention. Linear (RMSSD) and nonlinear (sample entropy and DFA α1) indices of heart rate variability (HRV) were compared between groups. Although both groups reported significant post-intervention reductions in stress and anxiety, participants in the MBI group exhibited significantly lower DFA α1 values in response to acute stressors as compared to the control group. No such differences were found for heart rate or RMSSD. These preliminary findings suggest that mindfulness may modulate the dynamic organization of autonomic stress responding during active challenge, and that nonlinear HRV metrics may be particularly sensitive to mindfulness-related changes in cardiovascular regulation under acute stress.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Meditation as an intervention in stress reactivity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1976
and 6 more in the library