Digital Medicine in Meditation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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.

Detailed Description
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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.

Official Title
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Digital Medicine in Meditation

Conditions
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Biometric Changes During Meditation

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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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.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experienced Meditators<br>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<br>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?
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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 | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Meditation, Sensors, Digital medicine