Background
Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects influences of autonomic nervous system and metabolic factors on sinoatrial node. Decreased HRV is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and all-cause mortality, hence the research of various factors that might affect HRV has been growing exponentially. Studies showed that two very different life styles, like regular physical exercise and meditation, both increase HRV parameters, which reflect parasympathetic (PSYM) modulation of heart rate. Prayer is a common practice worldwide and represents the closest correlate to meditation in the West, however its effects on HRV are unclear.
Objectives and hypotheses
The primary aim of this study was to examine short term and long term effect of silent prayer on HRV parameters, especially those reflecting PSYM modulationof heart rate. For that we made three hypotheses:
1. HRV parameters, which reflect PSYM modulation of heart rate, increase during silent prayer.
2. The increase of HRV parameters, which reflect PSYM modulation of heart rate, during silent prayer is greater in those subjects, who regularly pray, than in those subjects, who do not pray.
3. The baseline HRV parameters, which reflect PSYM modulation of heart rate, are greater in those subjects, who regularly pray, than in those subjects, who do not pray.
Secondary aims were to evaluate whether the effect of prayer on HRV parameters differed from the effect of recitation on HRV, and regarding to sex and order of interventions.
Methods
ECG and respiratory rate were recorded continuously in 78 subjects (49 females,age 37±11), who prayed regularly, and in 50 subjects (35 females, age 35±8), who did not pray at all. The main study protocol included five consecutive phases: sitting at rest, silent prayer, sitting at rest, silent recitation of secular song lyrics, and sitting at rest. To assess the effect of time passed and the carry-over effect on the effect of prayer on HRV, the order of interventions was reversed in a subgroup of subjects (recitation before prayer). Standard HRV parameters were calculated from the 5-minute intervals of each protocol phases: SDNN (reflecting combined PSYM and sympathetic heart rate modulation), RMSSD and HF (both reflecting PSYM heart rate modula-tion).
For first hypothesis testing, paired sample t-test was used to compare the mean values of HRV parameters before and during prayer. For second hypothesis testing, the independent samples t-test was used to compare the mean changes of HRV parameters during prayer between the two subject groups (prayers and controls). For third hypothesis testing, the unpaired t-test was used to compare the mean values of baseline HRV parameters between the two subject groups (prayers and controls). To assess the effects of sex and order of prayer before or after recitation on the effect of prayer, a linear regression model was fitted. To compare the effects of the two interventions, the mean change in HRV parameters during prayer was compared with the mean change during song recitation using linear mixed effect model with patient random intercept. Since the study was designed as across-over study, the result was adjusted for the period effect (the effect of time independent of intervention) and the possible carry-over effect.
Results
The mean value of RMSSD statistically significantly decreased during prayer compared with the resting phase just before prayer (p=0.001), and the mean value of HF tended to decrease during prayer (p=0.038). The decrease of RMSSD during prayer did not statistically significantly differ between the group of prayers and the control group (p=0.507). The baseline mean values of HRV parameters did not statistically significantly differ between the group of prayers and the control group (p=0.428,p=0.645 and p=0.691 for SDNN, RMSSD and HF). Additionally, the decrease of RMSSD tended to be greater during prayer than during recitation in men (p=0.022). Sex and order of interventions, together with their interaction, tended to correlate with the effect of prayer on RMSSD (p=0.007 and p=0.046 for sex and order of interventions); the decrease of RMSSD was greater in those men, who prayed after recitation. The carry-over effect was not statistically significant.
Conclusions
The study results do not support the hypotheses. Contrary to our assumption, HRV parameters, reflecting PSYM modulation of heart rate decreased during silent prayer. These results suggest, that during silent prayer PSYM modulation of heart rate decreased and this decrease tended to be greater in men. The trend of greater decrease of RMSSD during prayer than during recitation suggests that it can not be explained only by language processing and that other mechanisms are involved.
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