J 2024

Adverse Effects of Meditation : Autonomic Nervous System Activation and Individual Nauseous Responses During Samadhi Meditation in the Czech Republic

KOTHEROVÁ, Silvie, Jakub CIGÁN, Lenka ŠTĚPÁNKOVÁ, Mária VYSKOČILOVÁ, Simona LITTNEROVÁ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Adverse Effects of Meditation : Autonomic Nervous System Activation and Individual Nauseous Responses During Samadhi Meditation in the Czech Republic

Authors

Edition

Journal of Religion and Health, New York, Springer, 2024, 0022-4197

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

50902 Social sciences, interdisciplinary

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.800 in 2022

Organization unit

Faculty of Medicine

DOI

UT WoS

001200381200001

Keywords in English

Meditation; Samadhi; Nausea; Autonomic nervous system; Heart rate variability; Vasovagal syncope

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 15/8/2024 13:03, Mgr. Tereza Miškechová

Abstract

V originále

Buddhist meditation practices, including Samadhi meditation, which forms the basis for mindfulness practice, are broadly promoted as pathways to wellbeing, but evidence of their adverse effects is emerging. In a single-group observational study with assessments of autonomic system before, during, and after Samadhi meditation, we explore the relationship between post-meditation nausea symptoms and the degree of change in autonomic system activity during meditation as compared to before and after in 57 university students (42 women; mean age = 22.6) without any previous experience in meditation or yoga practices. We hypothesize that nauseous feelings in meditation are connected to a rapid increase of activity in the sympathetic nervous system, as indicated by decreased heart-rate variability (HRV). We additionally explore links between meditation-induced nausea and two markers of parasympathetic activity: increased HRV and vasovagal syncope. Engaging in meditation and increased nausea during meditation were both associated with increased markers of HRV parasympathetic activity, but 12 individuals with markedly higher nausea demonstrated increased HRV markers of sympathetic activity during meditation. Vasovagal syncope was observed but found to be unrelated to nausea levels. Drivers of adverse effects of meditation in some individuals require further investigation.