Digital Medicine in Meditation (DigMed2)

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Biometric Changes During Meditation

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 Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 40

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • California
    • Carlsbad, California, United States, 92009
      • The Chopra Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants in this study will be a subset of 40 individuals from a total of ~200 who self-selected to participate in a week-long "Seduction of Spirit" retreat at The Chopra Center in the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA. The 40 anticipated participants will be made up of 2 cohorts: experienced meditators and novice meditators.

Description

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 Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Experienced Meditators; 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; 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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

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

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Scripps Translational Science Institute
• Collaborators: The Chopra Foundation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: October 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): November 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 17, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 28, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): November 3, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 13, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 12, 2014
• Last Verified: March 1, 2014

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Meditation; Sensors; Digital medicine
• Other Study ID Numbers: 13 - 6251