Digital Medicine in Meditation

Completed

• Conditions: Biometric Changes During Meditation

• Registration Number: NCT01975415
• Lead Sponsor: Scripps Translational Science Institute

Brief Summary

This study will investigate the acute response to meditation during a week-long meditation retreat at the Chopra Center as measured by the continuous, simultaneous monitoring of numerous biometric parameters in selected cohorts of experienced and novice meditators during periods of meditation and specific breathing techniques. Comparisons between cohorts as well as over time will allow for the identification of meditation and/or breathing-related changes.

Detailed Description

The biometric responses to meditation and breathing techniques will be compared between novice and experienced meditators, as well as initial versus final biometric responses in all participants stratified by cohort. Investigators hypothesize that novice meditators will experience a measurable change in response to mediation over the week-long retreat, whereas experienced meditators will demonstrate a more robust response than novice meditators on the first day of the retreat with less change over the retreat.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-10
• Study First Submitted: 2013-10-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-10-28
• Primary Completion: 2013-11
• Study Completion: 2013-11
• Study First Posted: 2013-11-03
• Status Verified: 2014-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-03-12
• Last Update Posted: 2014-03-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Adult over age 18 who are already registered to participate in the week-long "Seduction of the Soul" retreat.
• Capable of providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

• Chronic requirement for daily use of chronotropically active medications including beta-blockers, non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, clonidine or beta-agonist inhalers.
• Implantable pacemaker or cardioverter-defibrillator.
• Known allergy to adhesives.

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Blood Pressure	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Non-invasive blood pressure
ECG	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	5-lead electrocardiogram
Respiration rate	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Respiration rate
Heart Rate	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Heart rate
Oxygen saturation (SpO2)	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Oxygen saturation
Skin temperature	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Skin temperature
Heart rate variability	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Variability in heart rate across a period of time.
EEG	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	14-lead Electroencephalogram
Stress level	Participants will be measured at Day 1 and Day 5 of retreat	Stress level calculated from heart rate variability

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Chopra Center; 🇺🇸 Carlsbad, California, United States