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Physiological responses during meditation and rest.

M M Delmonte

Biofeedback and self-regulation June 1, 1984 DOI: 10.1007/bf00998833 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized experimental study with within-subject ABAB design Peer reviewed
Sample size 52
Population 40 nonmeditators and 12 experienced transcendental meditators, all female
Intervention noncultic meditation
Measures systolic BP, diastolic BP, HR, SCL, digital BV, digital ST, frontalis EMG
Topics Meditation
Keywords Humans Electromyography Arousal Galvanic skin response Blood pressure Heart rate Rest Adult Female Relaxation therapy
Key findings Both experienced meditators and first-time meditators showed lower psychophysiological arousal during meditation than during eyes-closed rest for systolic blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductance level, digital blood volume, digital skin temperature, and frontalis EMG, with small but significant effects; diastolic blood pressure showed no significant condition effect. Experienced meditators showed only marginally more condition effects than novices. Positive expectations in nonmeditators were associated with lower diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and skin conductance level. Meditators tended to relax more over trials, while nonmeditators showed the opposite trend.

Abstract

Forty nonmeditators and 12 experienced transcendental meditators were randomly assigned to four experimental cells devised to control for order and expectation effects. All 52 (female) subjects were continuously monitored on seven physiological measures during both meditation and rest. Each subject was her own control in an abab experimental paradigm comparing meditation to rest. Analyses of variance on change scores calculated from both initial and running (intertrial) baselines revealed small but significant conditions effects for all variables except diastolic BP. The same subjects (both experienced meditators and those meditating for the first time) showed lower psychophysiological arousal during the meditation than during the rest condition for systolic BP, HR, SCL, digital BV, digital ST, and frontalis EMG. The experienced meditators showed only marginally more conditions effects than the novices practicing "noncultic" meditation. For the nonmeditators, deliberately fostering positive expectations of meditations was associated with lower physiological arousal in terms of diastolic BP, HR, and SCL. These findings suggest that both cultic and noncultic meditation are associated with lower physiological activation than eyes-closed rest. The meditators, however, tended to become more relaxed over meditation trials, whereas the nonmeditators showed the opposite trend.

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

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