Relationship Between Meditation Depth and Waking Salivary Alpha-Amylase Secretion Among Long-Term MBSR Instructors.
Alyson Haslam, Michael D. Wirth, Sara Wagner Robb
Stress and Health August 2017 DOI: 10.1002/smi.2706 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Long-term mindfulness-based stress reduction meditation instructors |
| Measures | salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) awakening slope, salivary alpha-amylase area under the curve |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Alpha-amylase Stress |
| Key findings | Meditation depth, but not years of practice or meditation dose, was associated with a steeper negative waking salivary alpha-amylase slope (first quartile: -7 versus fourth quartile: -21 U/mL; p = 0.06), which the authors suggest reflects a healthier waking slope. Older age and later waking time were associated with less negative slopes, and smoking with lower area-under-the-curve values. |
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to characterize sympathetic activity by using waking salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) concentrations in a group of long-term meditation instructors and to examine the association between meditation (depth, dose and duration) and the waking alpha-amylase response. Salivary alpha-amylase samples were collected (immediately upon waking and at 15-min, 30-min and 45-min intervals after waking) from mindfulness-based stress reduction instructors to determine both the area under the curve and the awakening slope (difference in alpha-amylase concentrations between waking and 30-min post-waking). It was determined through general linear models that neither years of meditation nor meditation dose were associated with the awakening sAA slope, but higher scores for meditation depth (greater depth) was associated with a more negative (or steeper) awakening slope [Quartile (Q)1: -7 versus Q4: -21 U/mL; p = 0.06], in fully adjusted models. Older age (p = 0.04) and a later time of waking (p < 0.01) also were associated with less negative awakening slope values. Smoking was associated with lower area under the curve values (smokers: 1716 U/mL versus nonsmokers: 2107 U/mL; p = 0.05) in fully adjusted models. The results suggest a 'healthy' sAA waking slope among individuals who meditate more deeply. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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 2
- Mindfulness Training for Improving Attention Regulation in University Students: Is It Effective? and Do Yoga and Homework Matter? Frontiers in Psychology April 29, 2020
- Relationship between Meditation and Waking Salivary Cortisol Secretion among Long-Term MBSR Instructors Complementary Medicine Research 2019
Cites 12
- Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults Health Education & Behavior May 9, 2008
- Sustained Impact of MBSR on Stress, Well-Being, and Daily Spiritual Experiences for 1 Year in Academic Health Care Employees The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 1, 2011
- Reduction in salivary α-amylase levels following a mind-body intervention in cancer survivors--an exploratory study. Psychoneuroendocrinology February 1, 2013
- Evaluation of a mindfulness-based intervention program to decrease blood pressure in low-income African-American older adults. Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine April 1, 2012
- Mindfulness‐based Coping with University Life: A Non‐randomized Wait‐list‐controlled Pilot Evaluation Stress and Health December 1, 2011
and 7 more in the library