BMJ 2001;323:1446-1449 ( 22-29 December )

Beyond science?

Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study

Luciano Bernardi, associate professor of internal medicine, ^a Peter Sleight, professor, ^b Gabriele Bandinelli, physician, ^c Simone Cencetti, physician, ^c Lamberto Fattorini, physician, ^c Johanna Wdowczyc-Szulc, assistant professor of cardiology, ^d Alfonso Lagi, physician. ^c

^a Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy, ^b Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, ^c Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Unitá Ospedaliera S Maria Nuova, 50100 Florence, Italy, ^d Department of Cardiology, University of Gdansk, 80-211 Gdansk, Poland

Correspondence to: L Bernardi lbern1ps{at}unipv.it

Objective: To test whether rhythmic formulas such as the rosary and yoga mantras can synchronise and reinforce inherent cardiovascular rhythms and modify baroreflex sensitivity.
Design: Comparison of effects of recitation of the Ave Maria (in Latin) or of a mantra, during spontaneous and metronome controlled breathing, on breathing rate and on spontaneous oscillations in RR interval, and on blood pressure and cerebral circulation.
Setting: Florence and Pavia, Italy.
Participants: 23 healthy adults.
Main outcome measures: Breathing rate, regularity of breathing, baroreflex sensitivity, frequency of cardiovascular oscillations.
Results: Both prayer and mantra caused striking, powerful, and synchronous increases in existing cardiovascular rhythms when recited six times a minute. Baroreflex sensitivity also increased significantly, from 9.5 (SD 4.6) to 11.5 (4.9) ms/mm Hg, P<0.05.
Conclusion: Rhythm formulas that involve breathing at six breaths per minute induce favourable psychological and possibly physiological effects.

What is already known on this topic Reduced heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity are powerful and independent predictors of poor prognosis in heart disease Slow breathing enhances heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity by synchronising inherent cardiovascular rhythms What this study adds Recitation of the rosary, and also of yoga mantras, slowed respiration to almost exactly 6/min, and enhanced heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity The rosary might be viewed as a health practice as well as a religious practice

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Transcultural perspectives on researching rosaries and mantras

Doug Oman, et al.
bmj.com, 22 Dec 2001 [Full text]

Almost letter perfect

Gavin W Frost
bmj.com, 26 Dec 2001 [Full text]

Not the whole rosary ...

Claus A. Pierach, MD
bmj.com, 25 Jan 2002 [Full text]

Re: Not the whole rosary ...

Mary Sanchez
bmj.com, 11 Apr 2002 [Full text]