Single Vibroacoustic Impact Effect of Singing Bowls over the Psycho-Emotional State and Cardiovascular System Work

This article presents a two-stage study result of the author's method of vibroacoustic massage using singing bowls application. At the first stage, the effect of vibroacoustic massage single application over psycho-emotional characteristics was studied. 19 studied volunteers took part in our study. The testing results before and after exposures were compared according to the WAM (Weighted average mark), Zung, and Spielberg-Khanin tests. The study of the psycho-emotional sphere showed that after the vibroacoustic massage procedure, the indicators of "well-being" and "activity" of the WAM test significantly improved (p = 0.002). In addition, the depression level determined by the Zung test, personal anxiety indicators (p = 0.004), and situational anxiety ones (p = 0.028) decreased. At the second stage, 62 volunteers were divided into two groups. The first group underwent a vibroacoustic massage session according to the patented author's method. The second group received only acoustic exposure using only singing bowls. Differences in the Kerdo index were revealed in the dynamics, and in the first group, the changes were less significant than in the second one. Changes in heart rate variability characteristics for both groups were similar: there was an increase in parasympathetic influences at rest and during the orthostatic test (increased levels of RMSSD (Root Mean Square of Successive Differences), NN50, pNN50) and a decrease in sympathetic effects at rest and their slight increase with orthostatic loading (TINN, RR triangular index). The dynamics were more significant in the first group that received a vibroacoustic massage session. When assessing changes in the neurovegetative regulation levels activity of the heart rhythm, the main difference was associated with very low-frequency waves power dynamics during the orthostatic test. Thus, vibroacoustic massage using singing bowls improves the psycho-emotional state, reduces depression and anxiety, and increases Parasympaticus (autonomic nervous system) activity.

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IMPACT OF HEALTH ACTIVITIES ON THE PSYCHOVEGETATIVE FACILITATION OF STUDENTS’ ADAPTATION

Bulletin of Kemerovo State University Series Biological Engineering and Earth Sciences ◽

10.21603/2542-2448-2017-3-18-23 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 (3) ◽

pp. 18-23

Author(s):

Александр Федоров ◽

Alexandr Fedorov ◽

Диана Аипова ◽

Diana Aipova ◽

Павел Зарченко ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rhythm ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological State ◽

Stress Index ◽

Positive Trend ◽

Regulatory Systems ◽

Situational Anxiety ◽

Before And After ◽

Parasympathetic Influences ◽

The Impact

The article presents the results of a study of the influence of the sylvinite speleoclimatic chamber and neurofeedback-therapy on the student’s adaptation process. With the help of automated methods of psychophysiological features, the authors studied parameters of heart rate variability, indices of personal and situational anxiety and the general health – activity – mood test in 29 students of the university during the period of training before and after the health measures. It has been established that ten sessions of speleoclimatotherapy did not affect the specificity of neurodynamic parameters, but led to a change in the psychological state of students and the degree of tension of regulatory systems: the number of people with high situational anxiety decreased, a positive trend was observed in terms of well-being, activity, mood; the values of the integral index of the stress index decreased. At the impact of ten sessions of the nerofeedback-training there are significant changes in the mechanisms of regulation of the heart rhythm: the degree of tension of the regulatory systems decreases and the activity of sympathetic and parasympathetic influences on the regulation of the heart rhythm; vegetative regulation has shifted either towards the equilibrium effect of the autonomic nervous system, or in the direction of intensifying the activity of parasympathetic influences.

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Association Between Improvement in Baseline Mood and Long-Term Use of a Mindfulness and Meditation App: Observational Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.12617 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Argus J Athanas ◽

Jamison M McCorrison ◽

Susan Smalley ◽

Jamie Price ◽

Jim Grady ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional State ◽

A Priori ◽

Extended Period ◽

Well Being ◽

Emotional States ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

User Input ◽

Before And After ◽

Emotional Transition

BACKGROUND The use of smartphone apps to monitor and deliver health care guidance and interventions has received considerable attention recently, particularly with regard to behavioral disorders, stress relief, negative emotional state, and poor mood in general. Unfortunately, there is little research investigating the long-term and repeated effects of apps meant to impact mood and emotional state. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the effects of both immediate point-of-intervention and long-term use (ie, at least 10 engagements) of a guided meditation and mindfulness smartphone app on users’ emotional states. Data were collected from users of a mobile phone app developed by the company Stop, Breathe & Think (SBT) for achieving emotional wellness. To explore the long-term effects, we assessed changes in the users’ basal emotional state before they completed an activity (eg, a guided meditation). We also assessed the immediate effects of the app on users’ emotional states from preactivity to postactivity. METHODS The SBT app collects information on the emotional state of the user before and after engagement in one or several mediation and mindfulness activities. These activities are recommended and provided by the app based on user input. We considered data on over 120,000 users of the app who collectively engaged in over 5.5 million sessions with the app during an approximate 2-year period. We focused our analysis on users who had at least 10 engagements with the app over an average of 6 months. We explored the changes in the emotional well-being of individuals with different emotional states at the time of their initial engagement with the app using mixed-effects models. In the process, we compared 2 different methods of classifying emotional states: (1) an expert-defined a priori mood classification and (2) an empirically driven cluster-based classification. RESULTS We found that among long-term users of the app, there was an association between the length of use and a positive change in basal emotional state (4% positive mood increase on a 2-point scale every 10 sessions). We also found that individuals who were anxious or depressed tended to have a favorable long-term emotional transition (eg, from a sad emotional state to a happier emotional state) after using the app for an extended period (the odds ratio for achieving a positive emotional state was 3.2 and 6.2 for anxious and depressed individuals, respectively, compared with users with fewer sessions). CONCLUSIONS Our analyses provide evidence for an association between both immediate and long-term use of an app providing guided meditations and improvements in the emotional state.

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Abstract 16545: Sinus Rhythm Dynamics and Ventricular Ectopy in an Experimental Model of Aging

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.142.suppl_3.16545 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Martina Comelli ◽

Emanuele Pizzo ◽

Marianna Meo ◽

Daniel O Cervantes ◽

Aaron Plosker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Sinus Rhythm ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Heart Rhythm ◽

Frequency Domain Analysis ◽

Ventricular Ectopy ◽

Before And After ◽

Frequency Components ◽

Ectopic Beats ◽

Effects Of Aging

Aging is coupled with alterations of heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), together with increased incidence of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. But whether changes of sinus rhythm properties of the aged heart correlate with enhanced occurrence of ventricular ectopic discharge remains unclear. Thus, we studied the effects of aging on heart rate, HRV, and occurrence of premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) in aging C57Bl/6 mice. Electrocardiograms (ECG) were obtained in male and female conscious mice at ~4, ~12, ~18, and ~24 months of age (n=37-66). Heart rate was preserved at ~4, ~12, and ~18 months (729±30, 730±22, and 725±20 bpm) and reached a minimum at ~24 months (708±37 bpm). Standard deviation of RR intervals, an indicator of HRV, was maximal at ~4 months (3.5±1.7 ms) and was reduced at ~12, ~18, and ~24 months (2.6±1.5, 2.5±1.3, and 2.6±1.3 ms). By frequency domain analysis, high-frequency components of RR interval variations, indicative of parasympathetic influence, were preserved with aging. In contrast, low frequency components, comprising the influence of sympathetic and parasympathetic axis, were maximal in young animals and progressively decrease at ~12, ~18, and ~24 months. PVCs were observed in only 3% of mice at ~4 months, a fraction that increased to 11%, 10%, and 22% at ~12, ~18, and ~24 months, respectively. For each age interval, heart rate and HRV parameters for animals with PVCs were distributed within the range observed in mice not experiencing ventricular ectopy. Moreover, for animals with PVCs, parameters of HRV before the occurrence of ectopic beats were comparable to those observed during undisturbed sinus rhythm, although a tendency for lower heart rate was seen. To address the role of the autonomic nervous system on incidence of ectopic events, ECGs were collected before and after block of the sympathetic and parasympathetic axis in mice at ~4 months (n=30) and ~24 months (n=26). This intervention reduced heart rate in both groups of animals and attenuated HRV exclusively in young. Moreover, combine autonomic block decreased incidence of PVCs by 50% and 57% in young and old animals, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that occurrence of ventricular ectopy does not correlate with heart rhythm dynamics.

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Association Between Improvement in Baseline Mood and Long-Term Use of a Mindfulness and Meditation App: Observational Study

JMIR Mental Health ◽

10.2196/12617 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. e12617 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Argus J Athanas ◽

Jamison M McCorrison ◽

Susan Smalley ◽

Jamie Price ◽

Jim Grady ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Emotional State ◽

A Priori ◽

Extended Period ◽

Well Being ◽

Emotional States ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

User Input ◽

Before And After ◽

Emotional Transition

Background The use of smartphone apps to monitor and deliver health care guidance and interventions has received considerable attention recently, particularly with regard to behavioral disorders, stress relief, negative emotional state, and poor mood in general. Unfortunately, there is little research investigating the long-term and repeated effects of apps meant to impact mood and emotional state. Objective We aimed to investigate the effects of both immediate point-of-intervention and long-term use (ie, at least 10 engagements) of a guided meditation and mindfulness smartphone app on users’ emotional states. Data were collected from users of a mobile phone app developed by the company Stop, Breathe & Think (SBT) for achieving emotional wellness. To explore the long-term effects, we assessed changes in the users’ basal emotional state before they completed an activity (eg, a guided meditation). We also assessed the immediate effects of the app on users’ emotional states from preactivity to postactivity. Methods The SBT app collects information on the emotional state of the user before and after engagement in one or several mediation and mindfulness activities. These activities are recommended and provided by the app based on user input. We considered data on over 120,000 users of the app who collectively engaged in over 5.5 million sessions with the app during an approximate 2-year period. We focused our analysis on users who had at least 10 engagements with the app over an average of 6 months. We explored the changes in the emotional well-being of individuals with different emotional states at the time of their initial engagement with the app using mixed-effects models. In the process, we compared 2 different methods of classifying emotional states: (1) an expert-defined a priori mood classification and (2) an empirically driven cluster-based classification. Results We found that among long-term users of the app, there was an association between the length of use and a positive change in basal emotional state (4% positive mood increase on a 2-point scale every 10 sessions). We also found that individuals who were anxious or depressed tended to have a favorable long-term emotional transition (eg, from a sad emotional state to a happier emotional state) after using the app for an extended period (the odds ratio for achieving a positive emotional state was 3.2 and 6.2 for anxious and depressed individuals, respectively, compared with users with fewer sessions). Conclusions Our analyses provide evidence for an association between both immediate and long-term use of an app providing guided meditations and improvements in the emotional state.

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Effect of Emotions in a Lexical Decision Task

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185/a000193 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

pp. 71-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Hélène Maire ◽

Renaud Brochard ◽

Jean-Luc Kop ◽

Vivien Dioux ◽

Daniel Zagar

Keyword(s):

Lexical Decision ◽

Lexical Decision Task ◽

Emotional State ◽

Control Group ◽

Decision Task ◽

Attentional Orienting ◽

Emotional States ◽

Sequence Effect ◽

Emotion Induction ◽

Before And After

Abstract. This study measured the effect of emotional states on lexical decision task performance and investigated which underlying components (physiological, attentional orienting, executive, lexical, and/or strategic) are affected. We did this by assessing participants’ performance on a lexical decision task, which they completed before and after an emotional state induction task. The sequence effect, usually produced when participants repeat a task, was significantly smaller in participants who had received one of the three emotion inductions (happiness, sadness, embarrassment) than in control group participants (neutral induction). Using the diffusion model ( Ratcliff, 1978 ) to resolve the data into meaningful parameters that correspond to specific psychological components, we found that emotion induction only modulated the parameter reflecting the physiological and/or attentional orienting components, whereas the executive, lexical, and strategic components were not altered. These results suggest that emotional states have an impact on the low-level mechanisms underlying mental chronometric tasks.

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Catch them Young : Role of Educational Institutions in Community Development- A Descriptive Study on the Perception of College Students in Chennai

GIS Business ◽

10.26643/gis.v14i6.11694 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 170-182

Author(s):

Dr. R. Sundari ◽

Ms. Sangeetha Manoj

Keyword(s):

Community Development ◽

Collective Action ◽

Body Politic ◽

Weighted Average ◽

Well Being ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Average Score ◽

Academic Institutions ◽

Grass Root Level

Community Development is a process of collective action taken by the members of a community to generate solutions for common problems. The aspects of community well being namely Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural well being evolves from this type of collective action taken at multiple societal levels. (Weaver, 1971) defines community development as a process of “A public-group approach dedicated to achieving the goals of the total body politic.” Therefore, it is evident that a community can be developed through the effective participation of citizens. It is universally acceptable that community service is a vehicle for safeguarding the environment that is initiated from the participants of the community. In order to imbibe the community consciousness among the citizens, every country should “Catch them Young”. The purpose of the paper is to integrate Participative Model (Active Citizenship, Citizen Networks and Co-production) with Self-service Model (Social Governance, Societal Discipline and Accountability). National and international reviews show that the perception about the community and realisation has to be ingrained at the grass root level; this can be achieved through the participation of academic institutions. This paper is an attempt to highlight. The initiatives taken by educational institutions to imbibe social consciousness, The perceptions of students about their role in community development, and, To identify the effective Private Public Partnership areas for community building Factor analysis has been applied to identify the role of educational institutions and individual citizen’s( Students) in building community consciousness. Linear Regression had been applied in the study to measure the influence of Educational Institutions on the role of Students in building the community. A weighted average score is awarded by the students for the potential areas of public private partnership for community development is highlighted. The results of the study provide an impact created by the institution over the students. The Study also, consolidates some of the successful community bonding and building activities carried out Academic Institutions.

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400 - Effects of Computerized Cognitive Training with an Elderly Community Sample

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610220002537 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 32 (S1) ◽

pp. 116-116

Author(s):

M Pires ◽

A Antunes ◽

C Gameiro ◽

C Pombo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Training ◽

New Technologies ◽

Community Sample ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

Intensive Training ◽

Before And After

Community-focused programs that promote active and healthy aging can help preserve cognitive capacities, prevent or reverse cognitive deficits. Computer-based cognitive training (CCT) is a promising non-pharmacological, cost -effective and accessible intervention to face the effects of age-related cognitive decline. Previous studies proved CCT to have equal or better efficacy compared to traditional interventions. This comparative multifactorial study aims to test the efficacy of a CCT in a non-randomized community sample of 74 older adults: G1-CCT Experimental group (n=43) (Mean age M=72.21, SD=12.65) and G2- Paper-Pencil Control group (n=31; M=77.94, SD=10.51). Pensioners (97.3%), mostly women (83.8 %) with basic education (51.4%) and without dementia diagnosis, completed a cognitive training program of 17 or 34 group sessions (twice a week). G2 undertook a classic cognitive paper-pencil stimuli tasks. G1, performed, additionally, individual CCT with COGWEB® in a multimodal format (intensive training of attention, calculation, memory, gnosis, praxis, executive functions). Both groups completed Portuguese versions of Mini -Mental State Examination (MMSE),Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA); Geriatric Depressive Scale (GDS); Mini Dependence Assessment (MDA); WHOOQL 5 and Social Support Satisfaction Scale (ESSS) before and after participating in the program. Both groups reported better post-test scores on basic cognitive functions (MMSE, MOCA), Depression symptoms (GDS-30), subjective well-being and quality of life (WHOOQL-5). G1 presented higher MOCA and lower GDS scores before and after CCT, although, group differences become less expressive when interaction effects are considered. Results are in line with findings from past studies, CCT supported by the new technologies, is as a relevant cost-effective therapeutic tool for health professionals working with older adults. Particularly for preventive purposes of neuro-cognitive disorders.

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Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Motion Tracking-Based Online Fitness Program for Office Workers

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9050584 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 584

Author(s):

Sun-Young Joo ◽

Chang-Bae Lee ◽

Na-Young Joo ◽

Chung-Reen Kim

Keyword(s):

Motion Tracking ◽

Short Form ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Exercise Program ◽

Well Being ◽

Balance Test ◽

Fitness Program ◽

Before And After ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Digital Healthcare

The development of technology-based home fitness has emerged from the booming digital healthcare market and recent demands for at-home fitness and health equipment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital healthcare company Alyce Healthcare recently developed Weelo, which is a web-based online fitness program. Weelo recommends an exercise protocol through machine-learning-enabled recognition of the user’s motion and provides visual and auditory feedback. We evaluated whether Weelo improves physical and mental well-being to assess its capabilities and effectiveness. Thirty-two participants performed a total of 20 exercise sessions following the Weelo guide on a laptop. The participants were evaluated using a before and after exercise program, body composition, handgrip strength, six-minute walk test, modified star excursion balance test, short form 36, fatigue severity scale, Beck depression index, and a satisfaction survey. Overall, there was a significant improvement in muscle strength, endurance, and balance ability, as well as an improved quality of life and significant reduction in fatigue and depression. Participants showed high motivation to continue following the Weelo exercise program. In conclusion, utilizing Weelo improved physical and mental well-being and is considered to be an individual-use indoor exercise program that serves as an alternative to traditional face-to-face exercise.

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Influence on Forgiveness, Character Strengths and Satisfaction with Life of a Short Mindfulness Intervention via a Spanish Smartphone Application

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020802 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 802

Author(s):

Juan Pablo Pizarro-Ruiz ◽

Nuria Ordóñez-Camblor ◽

Mario Del-Líbano ◽

María-Camino Escolar-LLamazares

Keyword(s):

Negative Affect ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Character Strengths ◽

Well Being ◽

Smartphone Application ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Practice ◽

Before And After ◽

Reducing Stress ◽

Positive Effect

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) are a recognized effective psychological practice characterized by attention control, awareness, acceptance, non-reactivity, and non-judgmental thinking obtained through the practice of meditation. They have been shown to be useful in reducing stress and enhancing well-being in different contexts. In this research, the effectiveness of an MBI was evaluated on variables that can promote successful job performance such as mindfulness trait, positive and negative affect, forgiveness, personality strengths and satisfaction with life. The intervention was carried out through a smartphone application called “Aire Fresco” (Fresh Air) during 14 days in the middle of the quarantine produced by the Covid-19 pandemic. The study sample was composed of 164 Spanish people who were distributed in two groups: control group and experimental group, which were evaluated before and after the intervention. The MANCOVA performed showed an overall positive effect of the intervention on the variables evaluated. The different ANCOVAs carried out showed that the intervention was beneficial in increasing mindfulness trait, reducing negative affect or increasing life satisfaction, among others. Our study is, as far as we know, the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of a brief intervention in mindfulness conducted using a smartphone application in Spanish.

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“To Be a Guy Is to Be Human”: Outcomes of the WiseGuyz Program Through Photo-Based Evaluation

Health Promotion Practice ◽

10.1177/1524839920976382 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 152483992097638

Author(s):

Deinera Exner-Cortens ◽

Alysia Wright ◽

Marisa Van Bavel ◽

Kathleen C. Sitter ◽

Debb Hurlock ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Promotion Program ◽

Adolescent Male ◽

Future Health ◽

Promotion Strategy ◽

Visual Storytelling ◽

Holistic Understanding ◽

Before And After ◽

Health Promotion Strategy

Gender-transformative approaches (i.e., approaches that support male-identified individuals to critique and resist stereotypical male gender role norms that negatively affect health and well-being) are increasingly recognized as a key health promotion strategy. However, there is limited evidence to date on gender-transformative interventions for male-identified adolescents. In addition, given the dynamic and socially constructed nature of gender, methods beyond quantitative data collection are needed to gain a holistic understanding of promising gender-transformative health promotion approaches. One newer method to capture lived experiences with adolescents is photo-based evaluation, where youth program participants take pictures to represent their knowledge, attitudes, and/or behaviors before and after a program. The present study presents findings from the photo-based evaluation of a gender-transformative health promotion program called WiseGuyz. WiseGuyz is offered to mid-adolescent, male-identified youth in school and community settings, and is designed to promote mental and sexual health and prevent violence. Six youth photographers from a rural Canadian setting took part in this evaluation, taking photos to represent what being a guy in their world meant before and after WiseGuyz. Youth then participated in an individual visual storytelling interview and a group-based photovoice process. Key themes in relation to masculinities that emerged from these data were around changes to (1) social norms and (2) emotionality following program participation, and the need for a safe program space to support these changes. This study adds to literature demonstrating the promise of gender-transformative approaches with adolescents, with implications for future health promotion research and practice with male-identified youth.

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