Digital Medicine in Meditation (DigMed2)

Scripps Translational Science Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Biometric Changes During Meditation

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01975415

13 - 6251

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Full 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.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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.

Trial design

40 participants in 2 patient groups

Experienced Meditators

Description:

Self-identified participants who confirm to having a regular meditation practice for at least 3 months and practiced at least 70 minutes per week.

Novice meditators

Description:

Self-identified participant who confirm to either having never seriously tried meditation, or who have not meditated more than once a week for at least 3 months