Autonomic system modification in Zen practitioners

Area of Science:

• Cardiorespiratory interaction
• Psychosomatic medicine
• Autonomic nervous system function

Background:

• Meditation offers potential well-being and health benefits, possibly by enhancing salutogenesis.
• Low-frequency breathing patterns are common in meditation, impacting cardiorespiratory interaction.
• Zazen meditation breathing naturally influences respiratory cycles and heart rate variability (HRV).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of Zazen meditation on heart rate variability.
• To explore the relationship between breathing patterns and autonomic nervous system function during meditation.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated autonomic nervous system function using 24-hour ECG recordings in nine experienced Zen practitioners.
• Analyzed heart rate variability (HRV) during Zazen meditation and at rest.

Main Results:

• Zazen breathing patterns align with low-frequency heart rate spectral bands.
• Heart rate spectral power modifications persisted even during normal breathing post-meditation.

Conclusions:

• Altered breathing rates during meditation may modulate chemoreflex responses.
• Sustained slow breathing practice could lead to reduced chemoreflex sensitivity.
• These autonomic control changes may result in permanent resetting of endogenous circulatory rhythms.