Sympathetic activity and transcendental meditation

Abstract

Ten male advanced meditators and ten male long-term meditators subjected themselves four times to slight physical exercise following a period of rest, meditation or reading. Daily urine excretions of catecholamines and VMA were determined in both groups. On the experimental days 4-hour urine specimens, one before and one after the experiments, were again collected for analysis. During the experiments blood pressure and heart rate were measured continuously and blood samples were taken for plasma catecholamine levels immediately before and after the physical exercise. Daily catecholamine and VMA excretions showed to be higher in advanced meditators. During the experiments the pattern of noradrenaline, adrenaline and VMA excretions were different in both groups, long-term meditators showing a higher adrenaline excretion after exercise. After the resting period there was in both groups a similar increase of plasma catecholamine levels during exercise. However, after meditation the advanced meditators showed a significant increase in plasma noradrenaline and no further increase in plasma noradrenaline level during the following physical exercise. Also after the reading period differences between both groups in plasma catecholamine levels during exercise could be observed. In advanced meditators heart rate reduction after meditation was about 9% and diastolic blood pressure was slightly raised. The preceding conditions of rest, meditation or reading had a significant different influence on the behaviour of heart rate and blood pressure during the following physical exercise and this pattern was different for both groups.

Changes in Autonomic Variables Following Two Meditative States Described in Yoga Texts

“…The studies showed reduced somatic arousal with some physiological changes suggestive of increased alertness. The findings of increased alertness was supported by a study by Lang et al 6 In this study meditators who had 2 to 3 years of experience practicing TM had lower 24-hour urinary catecholamines compared to meditators with an average experience of 4.1 years. The findings contradict the idea that meditation is simply a state of reduced sympathetic activity but supports the idea of it being a ''calm yet alert'' state.…”

Meditation and Its Regulatory Role on Sleep

“…Meditation practices are reported to enhance the melatonin levels (Tooley et al, 2000), the precursors of melatonin especially the serotonin (Bujatti and Riederer, 1976) and noradrenalin (Lang et al, 1979). Meditation increases melatonin concentration by slowing its hepatic metabolism or augmenting the synthesis in the pineal gland (Massion et al, 1995).…”

A selective review of dharana and dhyana in healthy participants

“…However, a different effect of TM practice was suggested by another early study which reported changes in plasma noradrenaline after TM in long-term meditators (with 2–3 years experience of TM) and advanced meditators (with 4.1 years average experience of TM) [7]. Advanced meditators had higher 24-h urinary catecholamines compared to long term meditators.…”