Effects of meditation and aerobic exercise on EEG patterns.
B Severtsen, M A Bruya
Journal of Neuroscience Nursing August 1, 1986 DOI: 10.1097/01376517-198608000-00010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Nursing students (normal subjects) |
| Interventions | Meditation Aerobic exercise |
| Duration | Six-week study |
| Measures | Stanford University Self Assessment, Holmes-Rahe Social Adjustment Rating Scales, EEG alpha waves |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Electroencephalography Alpha rhythm Beta rhythm Exercise therapy Stress, psychological Adult Middle aged Relaxation therapy Self-assessment |
| Key findings | Neither meditation nor aerobic exercise produced a significant increase in EEG alpha waves over six weeks. Both groups improved on self-rated stress measures (Stanford University Self Assessment and Holmes-Rahe Social Adjustment Rating Scales) and reported an increased perception of coping ability and positive feelings about the activities. |
Abstract
This study examined the effects of two stress-reducing wellness activities, meditation and aerobic exercise, on electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns of normal subjects. Ten nursing students completed the study: five performed meditation daily and five performed aerobic exercise daily. Stress was determined using the Stanford University Self Assessment and Holmes-Rahe Social Adjustment Rating Scales prior to the stress-reducing activities and again following the six-week study. Although neither group demonstrated a significant increase in alpha waves, self-rating scores for both measures were improved at the end of the six-week study. Meditation and aerobic activity were associated with a perception of increased ability to cope and a generally positive feeling about the value of exercise and meditation in their lives.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012
- Effectiveness of Mantra-Based Meditation on Mental Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 13, 2022
- A Critical Analysis on Characterizing the Meditation Experience Through the Electroencephalogram Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience August 7, 2020
- Comparative effects of meditation and exercise on physical and psychosocial health outcomes: a review of randomized controlled trials. Postgraduate medicine March 2018
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving health, quality of life and social functioning in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis 2017
and 1 more in the library