Individuals with tension and migraine headaches exhibit increased heart rate variability during post-stress mindfulness meditation practice but a decrease during a post-stress control condition - A randomized, controlled experiment.
Muhammad Abid Azam, Joel Katz, Vina Mohabir, Paul Ritvo
International Journal of Psychophysiology December 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.10.011 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized experiment Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | Undergraduate students with tension and migraine headaches (n=36) and headache-free students (n=39) |
| Interventions | Audio-guided mindfulness meditation practice (MMP) mindfulness meditation description (MMD) |
| Measures | Heart rate variability (absolute power in the high frequency bandwidth, ms2), derived from electrocardiograms |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Headache Heart rate variability Migraine Mindfulness meditation Stress |
| Key findings | Heart rate variability increased significantly from the stress phase to mindfulness meditation practice in both the headache and headache-free groups, and was significantly greater during meditation practice than during the meditation description condition. After stress, the headache group showed significantly lower heart rate variability than the headache-free group during the description condition, which the authors suggest may indicate dysregulated stress recovery in people with headache conditions. |
Abstract
Current research suggests that associations between headache conditions (migraine, tension) and imbalances in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are due to stress-related dysregulation in the activity of the parasympathetic-sympathetic branches. Mindfulness meditation has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing pain-related distress, and in enhancing heart rate variability-a vagal-mediated marker of ANS balance. This study examined HRV during cognitive stress and mindfulness meditation in individuals with migraine and tension headaches. Undergraduate students with tension and migraine headaches (n=36) and headache-free students (n=39) were recruited for an experiment involving HRV measurement during baseline, cognitive stress-induction, and after randomization to post-stress conditions of audio-guided mindfulness meditation practice (MMP) or mindfulness meditation description (MMD). HRV was derived using electrocardiograms as the absolute power in the high frequency bandwidth (ms2). A three-way ANOVA tested the effects of Group (headache vs. headache-free), Phase (baseline, stress, & post-stress), and Condition (MMP vs. MMD) on HRV. ANOVA revealed a significant three-way interaction. Simple effects tests indicated: 1) HRV increased significantly from stress to MMP for headache and headache-free groups (p<0.001), 2) significantly greater HRV for headache (p<0.001) and headache-free (p<0.05) groups during MMP compared to MMD, and 3) significantly lower HRV in the headache vs. headache-free group during the post-stress MMD condition (p<0.05). Results suggest mindfulness practice can promote effective heart rate regulation, and thereby promote effective recovery after a stressful event for individuals with headache conditions. Moreover, headache conditions may be associated with dysregulated stress recovery, thus more research is needed on the cardiovascular health and stress resilience of headache sufferers.
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
Cited by 16
- Mindfulness in migraine: A narrative review Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics January 14, 2020
- Effects of Synergism of Mindfulness Practice Associated With Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation in Chronic Migraine: Pilot, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial Frontiers in Human Neuroscience December 8, 2021
- Can heart rate variability demonstrate the effects and the levels of mindfulness? A repeated-measures study on experienced and novice mindfulness practitioners. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies July 3, 2025
- The Applications of the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and HRV Biofeedback in Modern Psychotherapy NeuroRegulation June 27, 2025
- Heart Rate Variability and Respiration Rates during a Mindfulness Based Intervention for Health Care Professionals: Mindfulness in Motion Research Square September 6, 2023
and 11 more in the library
Cites 13
- A systematic review of neurobiological and clinical features of mindfulness meditations Psychological Medicine November 27, 2009
- Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation Annals of Behavioral Medicine November 15, 2006
- Clinical Trials of Meditation Practices in Health Care: Characteristics and Quality The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine December 1, 2008
- Mindfulness as Self-Regulated Attention Swiss Journal of Psychology 2012
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction program in coronary heart disease: A randomized control trial International Journal of Yoga August 26, 2015
and 8 more in the library