Effects of Meditation on Mental Health and Cardiovascular Balance in Caregivers

Lourdes Díaz-Rodríguez, Keyla Vargas-Román, Juan Carlos Sanchez-Garcia, Raquel Rodríguez-Blanque, Guillermo Arturo Cañadas- De la Fuente and Emilia I. De La Fuente-Solana
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Lourdes Díaz-Rodríguez: Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andalucía, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain
Keyla Vargas-Román: Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andalucía, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain
Juan Carlos Sanchez-Garcia: Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andalucía, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain
Raquel Rodríguez-Blanque: Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andalucía, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain
Guillermo Arturo Cañadas- De la Fuente: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
Emilia I. De La Fuente-Solana: Methodology of Behavioral Sciences Department, School of Psychology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but is also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week, 16-h presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, as compared to a control group. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted. Results: According to the ANCOVA results, the global happiness score (F = 297.42, p < 0.001) and the scores for all subscales were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 5 weeks. Anxiety levels were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (F = 24.92, p < 0.001), systolic (F = 16.23, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood (F = 34.39, p < 0.001) pressures, and the resting heart rate (F = 17.90, p < 0.05). HRV results revealed significant between-group differences in the HRV Index (F = 8.40, p < 0.05), SDNN (F = 13.59, p < 0.05), and RMSSD (F = 10.72, p < 0.05) in the time domain, and HF (F = 4.82 p < 0.05)) in the frequency domain, which were all improved in the experimental group after the meditation program. Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.

Keywords: meditation; vagal nerve activity; high-burden caregivers; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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