MEDITATION: A SAVIOUR FOR BALANCING THE AUTONOMIC FUNCTIONS

Abstract

Objective: Stress becomes an inevitable part of our current lifestyle. It has most deleterious effects on each and every system of the body affecting both physical and mental health. By reducing stress and anxiety through yoga and meditation, numerous health benefits can be achieved. Raja Yoga meditation is a simple and scientific technique to elicit physical and mental relaxation response. Methods: This case–control study was conducted in a tertiary health care center. A total of 100 participants were included in this study among them 50 were meditators who practice Raja Yoga for the past 1 year and 50 were non-meditators. All the subjects were between 31 and 60 years of age. Anthropometric measurements such as height and weight were measured. Heart rate (HR) during deep breathing both minimum and maximum HR was measured using electrophysiography. Results: Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 21. Statistical analysis was done by t-test (paired and independent sample test). It was found that minimum and maximum HR were higher in non-meditators when compared to meditators and it was highly statistically significant (p=0.000). Deep breathing difference was found to be higher in meditators and it was found to be highly statistically significant (p= 0.000). Conclusion: Raja Yoga meditation provides significant improvements in physiological cardiorespiratory functions by tilting of autonomic balance from sympathetic to parasympathetic system.