Electrophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness during sleep in long-term practitioners of the transcendental meditation program
Faculty Advisor
Date
1997
Keywords
consciousness states, meditation, sleep
Abstract (summary)
Standard ambulatory night sleep EEG of 11 long-term practitioners of transcendental meditation reporting higher states of consciousness during sleep (the experimental group) was compared with that of 9 short-term practitioners and 11 nonpractitioners (all Ss aged 21–50 yrs). EEG tracings during Stages 3 and 4 sleep show that experimental Ss had theta-alpha activity simultaneously with delta activity and decreased chin EMG during deep sleep compared with short-term controls. In the 1st 3 cycles, experimental Ss had significantly greater theta2 (6–8 Hz)-alpha1 (8–10 Hz) relative power during Stages 3 and 4 than did the combined control groups. There was a graded difference across groups during Stages 3 and 4 in theta2–alpha1 power. Experimental Ss also had increased REM density during REM periods relative to short-term controls.
Publication Information
Mason, L. I., Alexander, C. N., Travis, F. T., Marsh, G., Orme-Johnson, D. W., Gackenbach, J., & ... Walton, K. G. (1997). Electrophysiological correlates of higher states of consciousness during sleep in long-term practitioners of the transcendental meditation program. Sleep: Journal of Sleep Research & Sleep Medicine, 20(2), 102-110. Retrieved from http://www.journalsleep.org/
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Article
Language
English
Rights
All Rights Reserved