Tension Tamer: delivering meditation with objective heart rate acquisition for adherence monitoring using a smart phone platform.
Mathew J Gregoski, Alexey Vertegel, Aleksey Shaporev, Frank A Treiber
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine September 11, 2012 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2011.0772 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Proof-of-concept case series Randomized Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Prehypertensive male teachers |
| Duration | 3-month period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Monitoring, ambulatory Stress, psychological Patient compliance Awareness Blood pressure Heart rate Respiration Internet Adult Middle aged South carolina Male Prehypertension Cell phone |
| Key findings | The Tension Tamer smartphone application successfully captured adherence data, and increased adherence to breathing awareness meditation coincided with increased improvements in ambulatory blood pressure over 3 months among three prehypertensive male teachers. The authors conclude the app shows promise as a simple, inexpensive program for administering BAM and capturing adherence data in future clinical trials. |
Abstract
Objectives: This brief report demonstrates the proof of concept of the Tension Tamer (TT) smartphone application, which integrates photoplethysmograph capabilities with breathing awareness meditation (BAM), to reduce stress and measure heart rate and adherence.
Design: Methods for objectively measuring heart rate and adherence to BAM were developed as part of a future randomized controlled trial. Setting/location: The study was conducted at Jerry Zucker Middle School of Science and the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston. Subjects: The subjects were three prehypertensive male teachers. Intervention: The method used was smartphone delivered BAM. Outcome measures: Objective measures included heart rate, adherence, and ambulatory blood pressure (BP).
Results: Adherence data was successfully collected by the TT application. Increased adherence to TT coincided with increased improvements in ambulatory BP over a 3-month period.
Conclusions: TT shows promise as a simple inexpensive program for administering BAM and capturing adherence data in future clinical trials.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain sources of EEG gamma frequency during volitionally meditation-induced, altered states of consciousness, and experience of the self Advanced meditator | 2001 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Mindfulness Meditation for Alcohol Relapse Prevention: A Feasibility Pilot Study Adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an intensive outpatient program | 2008 | Prospective case series | n = 19 |
| How does it feel to lack a sense of boundaries? A case study of a long-term mindfulness meditator. A single long-term mindfulness practitioner (S) with 40 years of practice in... | 2015 | Qualitative case study | n = 1 |
| Loving‐kindness meditation to enhance recovery from negative symptoms of schizophrenia Individuals suffering from schizophrenia-spectrum disorders with persistent negative... | 2009 | Case study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Problem Gambling A female problem gambler | 2011 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Formative evaluation on cultural tailoring breathing awareness meditation smartphone apps to reduce stress and blood pressure mHealth October 19, 2017
- Acceptability and Impact of a Breathing Awareness Meditation Application on Stress, Strain, Sleep Quality Among Caregivers of Kidney Transplant Recipients Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine October 6, 2020
- Ethnicity Differences in Sleep Changes Among Prehypertensive Adults Using a Smartphone Meditation App: Dose-Response Trial. JMIR Formative Research October 6, 2020
- Meditation smartphone application effects on prehypertensive adults' blood pressure: Dose-response feasibility trial. Health Psychology September 2018
- Loving-kindness meditation's effects on nitric oxide and perceived well-being: a pilot study in experienced and inexperienced meditators. Explore 2015
Cites 4
- Sitting-meditation interventions among youth: a review of treatment efficacy. Pediatrics August 24, 2009
- One Method for Objective Adherence Measurement in Mind–Body Medicine The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine January 31, 2011
- Long-term effects of stress reduction on mortality in persons > or = 55 years of age with systemic hypertension. The American journal of cardiology May 1, 2005
- A randomized controlled trial of stress reduction in African Americans treated for hypertension for over one year. American Journal of Hypertension January 2005