Assessment of Cardiovascular Parameters with the Caretaker Device during Meditation

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular parameters like heart rate variability and blood pressure can now be measured with minimal physical impact and were used to study a group of volunteers who practice meditation.Methods: Volunteer subjects were instructed to wear a tiny digital artery pressure sensor designed to measure blood pressure and heart rate. Subjects were observed during a general rest interval and then instructed to meditate. The individual meditation practice was accompanied with either reverse abdominal or a form of non-specific breathing technique for about 15 minutes. Cardiovascular parameters were compared prior to and during meditation in the same subject. Results:The comparisons between rest and meditation in each subject generally showed greater variance of blood pressure and heart rate variability with the latter. A spectral analysis showed the emergence of a low frequency parameter with meditation and is consistent with previous observations of LF during various forms of meditation. The subjects practicing RE had a large shift in LF compared to practioners of non-RE meditation. Summary:In this exploratory study of experienced meditators, an LF HRV increase, generally considered to be a marker of autonomic balance in the literature, emerged more prominently in one group. The social context of the subject may influence the degree of shift in the LF and the type of practice of meditation, possibly related to the breathing technique used during meditation.