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Fifteen minutes of chair-based yoga postures or guided meditation performed in the office can elicit a relaxation response.

Geoffrey W Melville, Dennis Chang, Ben Colagiuri, Paul Marshall, Birinder S Cheema

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine January 16, 2012 DOI: 10.1155/2012/501986 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized crossover experiment Peer reviewed
Sample size 20
Population Office workers, mean age 39.6 years
Interventions Yoga postures Guided meditation
Duration 15-minute sessions, with measures taken postintervention; conditions separated by at least 24 hours
Measures Perceived stress, heart rate, respiration rate, heart rate variability (SDNN, Total Power), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure
Topics Meditation
Key findings Seated yoga postures and guided meditation, each performed for 15 minutes in an office, acutely reduced perceived stress relative to a usual-work control, with the reduction maintained after the sessions. Yoga increased heart rate and meditation decreased it, both lowered respiration rate, and meditation alone reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The authors propose that reduced respiration rate may partly mediate these effects.

Abstract

This study compared acute (15 min) yoga posture and guided meditation practice, performed seated in a typical office workspace, on physiological and psychological markers of stress. Twenty participants (39.6 ± 9.5 yr) completed three conditions: yoga, meditation, and control (i.e., usual work) separated by ≥24 hrs. Yoga and meditation significantly reduced perceived stress versus control, and this effect was maintained postintervention. Yoga increased heart rate while meditation reduced heart rate versus control (P < 0.05). Respiration rate was reduced during yoga and meditation versus control (P < 0.05). Domains of heart rate variability (e.g., SDNN and Total Power) were significantly reduced during control versus yoga and meditation. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were reduced secondary to meditation versus control only (P < 0.05). Physiological adaptations generally regressed toward baseline postintervention. In conclusion, yoga postures or meditation performed in the office can acutely improve several physiological and psychological markers of stress. These effects may be at least partially mediated by reduced respiration rate.

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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