Single Session Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Aortic Pulsatile Load and Anxiety in Mild to Moderately Anxious Adults

Abstract

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to have numerous health benefits when used over the course of days or weeks, but the effect of a single session on aortic pulsatility and anxiety is unclear. Therefore we sought to determine if a single session of mindfulness meditation could effectively reduce aortic pulsatile load and anxiety. Fourteen adults (24±8 years) with mild to moderate anxiety (≥8 Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)) participated in a 60 minute guided mindfulness meditation session. Baseline aortic pulsatile load (aortic pulse pressure × heart rate) and BAI were assessed approximately one week prior to the mindfulness meditation session during a study orientation. Aortic pulsatile load was assessed before, immediately after, and 60 minutes after the mindfulness meditation session. Anxiety was also assessed 60 minutes following meditation. The single mindfulness session reduced aortic pulsatile load from 2008±108 to 1730±85 a.u. immediately after meditation (p<0.01). The reduction in aortic pulsatile load was maintained 60 minutes post‐meditation (1729±99 a.u.; p<0.02). The BAI score was also significantly reduced 60 minutes post‐meditation compared to baseline (15±1 vs. 11±2; p<0.02). Our findings demonstrate that even a single session of mindfulness meditation can have cardiovascular and psychological benefits for adults with mild to moderate anxiety. Reductions in pulsatile load may help to reduce damage to end organs such as the brain and kidneys, while reduced anxiety could help to prevent vascular dysfunction.Support or Funding InformationSupported by the Portage Health Foundation.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.