Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation

Ditto, Blaine; Eclache, Marie; Goldman, Natalie

doi:10.1207/s15324796abm3203_9

Cited by 355Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsHeart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlPsychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments

Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation

Ditto, Blaine, Eclache, Marie, Goldman, Natalie·2006·Annals of Behavioral Medicine

DOI 10.1207/s15324796abm3203_9

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Background Recent research suggests that the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program has positive effects on health, but little is known about the immediate physiological effects of different components of the program. Purpose To examine the short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of one of the techniques employed in mindfulness meditation training, a basic body scan meditation. Methods In Study 1, 32 healthy young adults (23 women, 9 men) were assigned randomly to either a meditation, progressive muscular relaxation or wait-list control group. Each participated in two laboratory sessions 4 weeks apart in which they practiced their assigned technique. In Study 2, using a within-subjects design, 30 healthy young adults (15 women, 15 men) participated in two laboratory sessions in which they practiced meditation or listened to an audiotape of a popular novel in counterbalanced order. Heart rate, cardiac respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and blood pressure were measured in both studies. Additional measures derived from impedance cardiography were obtained in Study 2. Results In both studies, participants displayed significantly greater increases in RSA while meditating than while engaging in other relaxing activities. A significant decrease in cardiac pre-ejection period was observed while participants meditated in Study 2. This suggests that simultaneous increases in cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic activity may explain the lack of an effect on heart rate. F…

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During MBSR components, explicit instruction to slow one's breath is not given, but breath slows during the practice.
“During these components, explicit instruction to slow ones breath is not given, however, it has been reported in multiple investigations that breath slows during the practice (Ditto et al., 2006; Ahani et al., 2014).”
From Maladaptive autonomic regulation in PTSD accelerates physiological aging (2015) · cites this paper as Ditto et al., 2006
Krygier et al. observed increases in high-frequency heart rate variability and decreases in the low-to-high frequency ratio during Vipassana meditation relative to a rest baseline, for 36 participants who participated in a Vipassana retreat.
“Similar findings were demonstrated by Krygier et al. [94], who observed increases in HF and decreases in LF/HF during Vipassana meditation relative to a rest baseline, for 36 participants who participated in a Vipassana retreat.”
From The Influence of Buddhist Meditation Traditions on the Autonomic System and Attention (2015) · cites this paper as [94]

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Authors: Ditto, B., Eclache, M., & Goldman, N.
Affiliations: McGill University (CA)
ORCID: Ditto, Blaine
Venue: Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published: 2006-12
Volume: 32
Issue: 3
Pages: 227-234
ISSN: 0742-5554 (ISSN-L)
0883-6612
1532-4796
DOI: 10.1207/s15324796abm3203_9
OpenAlex: W1990351428
Cited by: 355
References: 9
Citations by year: 2026: 11 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 22
FWCI: 6.63
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Annals of Behavioral Medicine (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
Keywords: mindfulness meditation, body scan meditation, autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular response, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, heart rate, blood pressure, pre-ejection period, cardiac output, parasympathetic activity, sympathetic activity, progressive muscle relaxation, sex differences, relaxation techniques
MeSH terms: Adult, Arrhythmia, Sinus, Autonomic Nervous System, Blood Pressure, Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Relaxation Therapy, Meditation

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Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation

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