Respiratory function in healthy long-term meditators: A cross-sectional comparative study

Respiratory function is thought to improve with long-term meditation. This study aimed to assess respiratory function in a cohort of healthy long-term meditators and non-meditators in Sri Lanka. Respiratory function of healthy, skilled long-term meditators (n = 20) practicing Buddhist meditation consistently >3 years, and age-sex matched non-meditators (n = 20) were assessed by assessing resting respiratory rate, spirometry, breath-holding time and six-minute-walk distance. Data were analyzed with SPSS-23 statistical software. The long-term meditators; 45% male, mean (SD) total lifetime meditation experience 12.8 (6.5) years, aged 45.8 (8.74) years, BMI 23.68 (2.23) kgm−2, and non-meditators; 45% male, mean (SD) age 45.3 (8.05) years, BMI 23.68 (3.28) kgm−2, were comparable. Long-term meditators had slower resting respiratory rates [mean (SD); 13.35 (1.9) vs. 18.37 (2.31) breaths/minute; p