Metabolic rate, respiratory exchange ratio, and apneas during meditation.
J Kesterson, N F Clinch
American Journal of Physiology-Legacy Content March 1989 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.1989.256.3.r632 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Experienced meditators and nonmeditating controls |
| Intervention | Transcendental meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | A drop in metabolic rate does not cause apneas during transcendental meditation, as oxygen consumption declined similarly across groups. Carbon dioxide production and respiratory exchange ratio fell significantly in meditators but not controls, suggesting mild hypoventilation may underlie the apneas. |
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that a drop in metabolic rate (MR) causes the apneas observed in some subjects during transcendental meditation (TM). We measured O2 consumption (VO2) and CO2 production (VCO2) in three groups of experienced meditators and one group of nonmeditating controls. Measurements were made before, during, and after TM for the meditators and before, during, and after eyes-closed relaxation for the nonmeditating controls. The three groups of meditators consisted of 1) those showing little change in the frequency of ventilation (f) with meditation, 2) those showing a marked decline in f, and 3) those showing numerous apneas and a marked fall in f. There were significant trial effects but no group or interaction effects for the decline in VO2. Thus we concluded that a drop in MR is not the cause of the apneas. However, there were significant trial and interaction effects for the changes in VCO2 and the respiratory exchange ratio (R), with a significant drop in R for the meditators but not for the controls. We report additional evidence and speculate that the drop in R is a consequence of mild hypoventilation.
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
Cited by 11
- Can Meditation Slow Rate of Cellular Aging? Cognitive Stress, Mindfulness, and Telomeres Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009
- Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation Contemporary Hypnosis October 30, 2009
- Oxygen Consumption Changes With Yoga Practices Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 17, 2013
- Long-Term Changes in Experienced Yoga Practitioners Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care August 10, 2017
- Transcendental experiences during meditation practice. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 2014
and 6 more in the library
Cites 8
- Physiological Effects of Transcendental Meditation Science March 27, 1970
- Breath Suspension During the Transcendental Meditation Technique Psychosomatic Medicine May 1, 1982
- Electrophysiologic Characteristics of Respiratory Suspension Periods Occurring During the Practice of the Transcendental Meditation Program Psychosomatic Medicine May 1, 1984
- Marked reduction of forearm carbon dioxide production during states of decreased metabolism. Physiology & Behavior 1987
- Electrocortical activity and related phenomena associated with meditation practice: a literature review. International Journal of Neuroscience November 1984
and 3 more in the library