The effects of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training on heart rate variability in panic disorder: A randomized controlled trial
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: Panic disorder is associated with autonomic nervous system dysfunction and reduced heart rate variability (HRV). Enhancing HRV may help mitigate symptoms of panic disorder. This study investigated the effects of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training on HRV in patients with panic disorder. Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial included 110 patients with panic disorder recruited from a psychiatry department in India. Participants were randomized to either an 8-week Rajyoga meditation intervention (n = 55) or a waitlist control group (n = 55) receiving standard treatment alone. HRV was measured at baseline and after 8 weeks using time domain (SDRR, RMSSD, pNN50) and frequency domain (total power, HF, LF, LF/HF ratio) parameters. Results: < 0.05), indicating improved parasympathetic activity. The LF/HF ratio decreased in the Rajyoga group versus controls, suggesting a shift toward parasympathetic predominance. Conclusions: Eight weeks of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training improved HRV and parasympathetic activity in patients with panic disorder compared to standard treatment alone. Rajyoga meditation may be a beneficial adjunctive intervention for enhancing autonomic regulation in panic disorder.
Source: Indian Journal of Psychiatry
Authors: Kamlesh Jha, Pankaj Kumar, Yogesh Kumar, CP Ganashree, CB Tripathi, BK Shrikant, Arundhathi Kumari
Institution: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408424429