Increased heart rate variability during nondirective meditation.
Anders Nesvold, Morten W Fagerland, Svend Davanger, Øyvind Ellingsen, Erik E Solberg, Are Holen, Knut Sevre, Dan Atar
European journal of preventive cardiology August 2012 DOI: 10.1177/1741826711414625 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Middle-aged healthy adults of both genders |
| Intervention | Acem meditation |
| Duration | 20 minutes of rest followed by 20 minutes of meditation |
| Measures | Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | During Acem meditation, heart rate variability increased in low- and high-frequency bands, overall RR-interval variability increased, and low-frequency blood pressure variability decreased, indicating increased parasympathetic and reduced sympathetic activity. Baroreflex sensitivity did not change significantly. |
Abstract
Meditation practices are in use for relaxation and stress reduction. Some studies indicate beneficial cardiovascular health effects of meditation. The effects on the autonomous nervous system seem to vary among techniques. The purpose of the present study was to identify autonomic nerve activity changes during nondirective meditation. Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were monitored in 27 middle-aged healthy participants of both genders, first during 20 min regular rest with eyes closed, thereafter practising Acem meditation for 20 min. Haemodynamic and autonomic data were collected continuously (beat-to-beat) and non-invasively. HRV and BPV parameters were estimated by power spectral analyses, computed by an autoregressive model. Spontaneous activity of baroreceptors were determined by the sequence method. Primary outcomes were changes in HRV, BPV, and BRS between rest and meditation. HRV increased in the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) bands during meditation, compared with rest (p = 0.014, 0.013, respectively). Power spectral density of the RR-intervals increased as well (p = 0.012). LF/HF ratio decreased non-significantly, and a reduction of LF-BPV power was observed during meditation (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in BRS. Respiration and heart rates remained unchanged. Blood pressure increased slightly during meditation. There is an increased parasympathetic and reduced sympathetic nerve activity and increased overall HRV, while practising the technique. Hence, nondirective meditation by the middle aged may contribute towards a reduction of cardiovascular risk.
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 22
- Breath of Life: The Respiratory Vagal Stimulation Model of Contemplative Activity Frontiers in Human Neuroscience October 9, 2018
- Validity evidence of the brazilian version of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) Psicologia Teoria e Pesquisa September 1, 2014
- Heart rate variability during mindful breathing meditation Frontiers in Physiology January 23, 2023
- Susceptibility of Women to Cardiovascular Disease and the Prevention Potential of Mind–Body Intervention by Changes in Neural Circuits and Cardiovascular Physiology Biomolecules May 10, 2021
- Mind and body connection in expert meditators: a computational study based on central and peripheral nervous system BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies March 7, 2024
and 17 more in the library
Cites 8
- What Do We Really Know About Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction? Psychosomatic Medicine 2002
- Effects of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Transcendental Meditation on Components of the Metabolic Syndrome in Subjects With Coronary Heart Disease Archives of Internal Medicine June 12, 2006
- Individual Trait Anxiety Levels Characterizing the Properties of Zen Meditation Neuropsychobiology 2004
- Inward-attention meditation increases parasympathetic activity: a study based on heart rate variability. Biomedical Research October 1, 2008
- Changes in EEG and autonomic nervous activity during meditation and their association with personality traits. International Journal of Psychophysiology February 1, 2005
and 3 more in the library