Neural Oscillatory and Sympathetic Arousal Dynamics During Mindfulness Meditation: Characterizing Relaxed Alertness

FIGURE 1. Global grand mean spectral amplitudes for eyes‐closed rest (EC; solid lines) and mindfulness meditation (MM; dashed lines), shown separately for females (F; red) and males (M; blue). EEG frequency bands are indicated on the figure: δ = delta (1.0–3.5 Hz), θ = theta (4.0–7.5 Hz), α = alpha (8.0–13.0 Hz), β = beta (13.5–30.0 Hz), and γ = gamma (30.5–45.0 Hz).

FIGURE 2. Delta amplitude (1.0–3.5 Hz) during eyes‐closed rest and mindfulness meditation. (A) Scalp topographies showing mean delta amplitude during eyes‐closed rest (EC), mindfulness meditation (MM), and the MM–EC difference, displayed for the overall mean, females (F), males (M), and the female–male difference (F–M). (B) Boxplots of global delta amplitude during EC and MM, shown separately for females and males. (C) Boxplots of global delta amplitude across the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4). In (B) and (C), diamonds indicate means and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.

FIGURE 3. Theta amplitude (4.0–7.5 Hz) during eyes‐closed rest and mindfulness meditation. (A) Scalp topographies showing mean theta amplitude during eyes‐closed rest (EC), mindfulness meditation (MM), and the MM–EC difference, displayed for the overall mean, females (F), males (M), and the female–male difference (F–M). (B) Boxplots of global theta amplitude during EC and MM, shown separately for females and males. (C) Boxplots of global theta amplitude across the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4). In (B) and (C), diamonds indicate means and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.

FIGURE 4. Alpha amplitude (8.0–13.0 Hz) during eyes‐closed rest and mindfulness meditation. (A) Scalp topographies showing mean alpha amplitude during eyes‐closed rest (EC), mindfulness meditation (MM), and the MM–EC difference, displayed for the overall mean, females (F), males (M), and the female–male difference (F–M). (B) Boxplots of global alpha amplitude during EC and MM, shown separately for females and males. (C) Boxplots of global alpha amplitude across the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4). In (B) and (C), diamonds indicate means and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.

FIGURE 5. Beta amplitude (13.5–30.0 Hz) during eyes‐closed rest and mindfulness meditation. (A) Scalp topographies showing mean beta amplitude during eyes‐closed rest (EC), mindfulness meditation (MM), and the MM–EC difference, displayed for the overall mean, females (F), males (M), and the female–male difference (F–M). (B) Boxplots of global beta amplitude during EC and MM, shown separately for females and males. (C) Boxplots of global beta amplitude across the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4). In (B) and (C), diamonds indicate means and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.

FIGURE 6. Gamma amplitude (30.5–45.0 Hz) during eyes‐closed rest and mindfulness meditation. (A) Scalp topographies showing mean gamma amplitude during eyes‐closed rest (EC), mindfulness meditation (MM), and the MM–EC difference, displayed for the overall mean, females (F), males (M), and the female–male difference (F–M). (B) Boxplots of global gamma amplitude during EC and MM, shown separately for females and males. (C) Boxplots of global gamma amplitude across the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4). In (B) and (C), diamonds indicate means and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.

FIGURE 7. Skin conductance level (SCL) during eyes‐closed rest (EC) and mindfulness meditation (MM). Boxplots show mean SCL for EC, MM, and the four mindfulness meditation segments (MM1, MM2, MM3, and MM4), shown separately for females and males. Diamonds indicate means, and lines connect sex‐specific means. Red = female; blue = male.