Table 4 Studies reported on associations between RR and meditation practice variables

Lazar et al., 2005 [22]

Mean RR change during meditation from baseline (mean RR from 6 minute baseline – mean RR during first 6 minutes of meditation) significantly correlated with both, the total number of years of meditation practice (r=−0.57, p= 0.009) and the self-reported total number of hours of formal sitting meditation over the lifetime (r=−0.75, p <0.001) of LTMs.

Wielgosz et al., 2016 [27]

Greater practice experience of the LTMs was associated with slower baseline respiration, independently of age and gender and this association was specific to intensive retreat experience and was not associated with daily routine practice duration.

A significant inverse relationship was observed between resting RR in LTMs and retreat hours. A doubling of the retreat hours was associated with a decrease in RR by 0.7 breaths/minute, 95% CI (0.07, 1.33), p=0.032.

Karunarathne, Amarasiri and Fernando, 2023 [24]

The resting RR of LTMs showed a significant negative correlation with uninterrupted, continuous total lifetime meditation practice in years (r =−0.444, p =0.049), and the average length of a meditation session per day (r =−0.65, p =0.002).

The LTMs with a longer duration of retreat participation experience had slower resting RR (r =−0.522, p =0.018) and higher tidal volumes (r = 0.474, p =0.04).