{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:45:20Z","timestamp":1787028320013,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,13]],"date-time":"2021-01-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1610496000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but is also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week, 16-h presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, as compared to a control group. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted. Results: According to the ANCOVA results, the global happiness score (F = 297.42, p &lt; 0.001) and the scores for all subscales were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 5 weeks. Anxiety levels were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (F = 24.92, p &lt; 0.001), systolic (F = 16.23, p &lt; 0.001) and diastolic blood (F = 34.39, p &lt; 0.001) pressures, and the resting heart rate (F = 17.90, p &lt; 0.05). HRV results revealed significant between-group differences in the HRV Index (F = 8.40, p &lt; 0.05), SDNN (F = 13.59, p &lt; 0.05), and RMSSD (F = 10.72, p &lt; 0.05) in the time domain, and HF (F = 4.82 p &lt; 0.05)) in the frequency domain, which were all improved in the experimental group after the meditation program. Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18020617","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,13]],"date-time":"2021-01-13T11:52:32Z","timestamp":1610538752000},"page":"617","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Effects of Meditation on Mental Health and Cardiovascular Balance in Caregivers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7906-5656","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lourdes","family":"D\u00edaz-Rodr\u00edguez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andaluc\u00eda, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7517-9506","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Keyla","family":"Vargas-Rom\u00e1n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andaluc\u00eda, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Spanish Education Ministry Program FPU16\/01437, Methodology of Behavioral Sciences Department, School of Psychology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4650-2159","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Carlos","family":"Sanchez-Garcia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andaluc\u00eda, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Raquel","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Blanque","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Group CTS1068, Andalusia Research Plan, Junta de Andaluc\u00eda, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, 18014 Granada, Spain"},{"name":"San Cecilio University Hospital, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3012-3410","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guillermo Arturo","family":"Ca\u00f1adas-De la Fuente","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3618-4035","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emilia I.","family":"De La Fuente-Solana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Methodology of Behavioral Sciences Department, School of Psychology, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,1,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijnurstu.2017.12.016","article-title":"Problems experienced by informal caregivers of individuals with heart failure: An integrative review","volume":"80","author":"Grant","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. 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