Quran memorisation and heart rate variability: How do they correlate?

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Neuroscience
• Religious Studies

Background:

• Religious activities have been observed to influence heart rate variability (HRV).
• Understanding the physiological effects of religious practices like Quran memorization is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between the extent of Quran memorization and HRV in adolescents.
• To explore potential benefits of Quranic study on autonomic nervous system regulation.

Main Methods:

• An experimental study involving 32 teenagers (16 Quran memorizers and 16 non-memorizers).
• Heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed during Quranic verse recall and memorization tasks.
• Key HRV parameters analyzed included standard deviation of NN intervals, LF, HF, and the LF/HF ratio.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in HRV parameters were found across the different Quranic tasks.
• A significant difference in the LF/HF ratio was observed between the memorizer and non-memorizer groups.
• A moderate positive correlation was found between the number of memorized Quranic pages and the LF/HF ratio.

Conclusions:

• Quran memorization appears to enhance heart rate variability (HRV).
• The findings suggest Quran memorization can be utilized as a method for sympathovagal modulation training.
• This research highlights a potential non-pharmacological intervention for improving autonomic balance.