• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this research was to analyze the responses of breath-counting meditations with the psychological test and the physical index. Methods: Breath-counting meditation was applied to 10 normal adults. Then, clinical research State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), State-Trait Anger eXpression Inventory (STAXI), Psychosocial Well-being Index Short Form (PWI-SF), Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument-Korean version (BEPSI-K), Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and Vital Signs (V/S) were carried out to analyze the responses of breath-counting meditations. Results: 1) Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) decreased on the fifteenth day of breath-counting meditation, and Body Temperature (BT) increased on the fifteenth day. In addition, respiration decreased throughout the period of breath-counting meditation. 2) Standard deviations of N-N interval and Total Power (TP) of HRV all significantly increased on the fifteenth day of breath-counting meditation. 3) Scores of STAI1, STAXI1, STAXI2, and PWI-SF decreased after the breath-counting meditation. Conclusions: The results suggested that breath-counting meditations have positive responses to anger, anxiety and stress.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of breath-counting meditation on anxiety disorder patients with panic attack. Methods: Two anxiety disorder patients with panic attack were treated with Breath-counting Meditation, acupunctures, and herb-medications. The patients have been predicted for anxiety disorder with panic attack through Dignosis and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV), Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), and BAI (Beck Anxiety Inventory) on their 1st and 6th treatments. Results: After the treatments, both the physical and psychological symptoms have decreased. Conclusions: This study suggests that the breath-counting meditation is an effective way for treating patients who are suffering from anxiety disorder with panic attack.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2014

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of Breath-Counting Meditation according to Personal Characteristics through the changes of Vital Signs (V/S) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Methods: 41 adults were classified according to gender and A-type behavior, then each group was compared for the changes on V/S and HRV through Breath-Counting Meditation of 10 minutes. Results: 1) Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were both significantly decreased in females, and the respiration level decreased significantly in both the male and female groups. 2) Respiration level decreased significantly in both the A-type and Non-A-type groups. 3) LF decreased significantly in both the male and female groups. HF increased significantly in both the male and female groups. 4) TP, LF and LF/HF increased significantly and HF decreased significantly in the Non-A-type group. Conclusions: Breath-Counting Meditation has respiratory effects for all groups and HRV of male, female and Non-A-type groups.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.36-44
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of breath-counting meditation (BCM) and deep breathing (DB) on heart rate variability (HRV). These breathing techniques have the characteristics of non-paced and self-controlled breathings, resulting in less increase of HRV. We also compared BCM and DB with usual breathing (UB) or relaxing breathing (RB) which can reveal the characteristics of those. Methods: 83 healthy volunteers sitting in chairs performed non-paced breathing; UB, RB, BCM, and DB each for 5 minutes. One minute of relaxation was permitted between breathings. Participants surfed the internet sitting in front of a computer during UB, while for RB, they remained steady with eyes closed. For BCM, they breathed inwardly counting from 1 to 10 repetitively, while they took a deep breath during DB. Physiological indices were simultaneously recorded with a biofeedback system. Results: Respiration rate, thoracic amplitude, and mean heart rate decreased in RB compared with UB, but there was no change in HRV. Respiration rate in BCM and DB was lower than that in UB or RB, and the amplitude of thorax or abdomen, and HRV all increased (p<0.05). However, mean heart rate and skin conductance decreased in BCM compared with UB (p<0.05), whereas those were no different between DB and UB. Conclusion: BCM, just concentrating mentally on breathing with counting each breath, can increase HRV with less sympathetic activation, while DB, actively moving thorax and abdomen for achieving the deepest respiration rate, can greatly raise HRV with the maintenance of mean vagal or sympathetic tone.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2015

Objectives The purpose of this study is to find out whether or not there are differences of effects when we count breaths on inspiration or expiration, and how differently the effects show up according to gender or Sasang Constitution Methods A group of 79 participants were enrolled and diagnosed Sasang Constitution by Sasang Constitution Diagnosis System of the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. Physical responses to respiratory changes were measured by Biofeedback sensors that were attached to the participants while they were seated comfortably on a sofa and breathing normally without counting for 5 minutes, counting on inspiration for 5 minutes, and counting on expiration for 5 minutes. Results and Conclusions 1. Mean heart rate and respiration rate decreased in association with breathing counting on inspiration and expiration more than breathing normally without counting. Especially respiration rate was stabilized during counting on inspiration and mean heart rate was stabilized during counting on expiration. 2. Interaction between breathing methods and gender did not appear. In comparison between gender, LF/HF ratio was higher in male during breathing normally without counting and counting on inspiration. Body temperature was higher in male during counting on inspiration and expiration. 3. Interaction between breathing methods and Sasang Constitution did not appear. In comparison between Sasang Constitution, mean heart rate was higher in Soyang-in, Soeum-in than Taeeum-in and abdominal amplitude was lower in Taeeum-in than Soeum-in.