Heart Rate Variability and Respiration Rates during a Mindfulness Based Intervention for Health Care Professionals: Mindfulness in Motion
Junior Justin, Maryanna Klatt, Catherine Quatman-Yates, Angela Emerson, Jamie Kronenberg, Morgan Orr, Jacqueline Caputo, Kayla Daniel, Anne-Marie Duchemin, Beth Steinberg, Joshua A Hagen
Research Square September 6, 2023 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3314040/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 84 |
| Population | Healthcare providers |
| Intervention | Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) |
| Measures | heart rate, root-mean square of successive differences between R-R intervals (rMSSD), standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN), low frequency (LF) power, high frequency (HF) power, Total Power, LF:HF Ratio, respiration rate |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | During Mindfulness in Motion sessions at work, healthcare providers showed acute changes in heart rate variability, including increased SDNN, low-frequency power, and LF:HF ratio, alongside slower respiration during Practice and the final reflection. Heart rate was elevated during Practice, while rMSSD did not change significantly. The authors attribute the HRV improvements largely to acute decreases in respiration rate. |
Abstract
Abstract The purpose was to evaluate the effects of Mindfulness in Motion (MIM), a Mindfulness Based Intervention, on respiration rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability (HRV). Healthcare providers wore chest strap electrocardiography-based (ECG) devices during MIM sessions (n = 84). Data were collected during the following mindfulness-based segments: 5-minute quiet sitting to reflect on the weekly theme that ended with a 30 second mindful breath count (Baseline-MIM), 15-minute Education video, 20-minute Discussion with peers, 15-minute Practice, and lastly a 5-minute reflection ending with a 30 second breath count (Post-MIM). Metrics from ECG included: mean heart rate, root-mean square of successive differences between R-R intervals (rMSSD), standard deviation of R-R intervals (SDNN), absolute power for low frequency (LF, 0.04–0.15 Hz), and high frequency (HF, 0.15–0.4 Hz) bands, Total Power across entire frequency range (< 0.4 Hz), LF:HF Ratio, and respiration rate. According to mixed effect models there were main effects of MIM Session Segments (p < 0.05) across all metrics. Heart rate was elevated during Practice (4.96 ± 0.91, p < 0.001, ES = 0.383), while rMSSD was not significantly different at any timepoint (p > 0.05). Compared to Baseline-MIM, respiration rates were significantly slower in Practice (1.98 ± 0.35 bpm) and Post-MIM (2.03 ± 0.35 bpm, p < 0.001), while SDNN, LF, and LF:HF were significantly increased. During practice, HF was decreased, while Total Power was increased during Post-MIM. Acute improvements in HRV, likely from acute decreases in respiration rates, occurred while healthcare providers completed a mindfulness intervention (MIM) during work hours.
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
Cites 17
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Quantitative change of EEG and respiration signals during mindfulness meditation Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation May 14, 2014
- Long-term mindfulness training is associated with reliable differences in resting respiration rate Scientific Reports June 7, 2016
- Mindfulness as Self-Regulated Attention Swiss Journal of Psychology 2012
- Assessment of Virtual Mindfulness-Based Training for Health Care Professionals: Improved Self-Reported Respiration Rates, Perceived Stress, and Resilience. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2023
and 12 more in the library