Effect of 4-Week Heartfulness Meditation on Stress Scores, Sleep Quality, and Oxidative and Inflammatory Biochemical Parameters in COVID-19 Patients after Completion of Standard Treatment - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Main Goal and Fundamental Concept:

The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of a 4-week Heartfulness meditation program on stress levels, sleep quality, and specific biochemical markers related to inflammation and oxidative stress in patients who had completed standard treatment for COVID-19. The underlying hypothesis is that Heartfulness meditation can serve as a beneficial nonpharmacological intervention to enhance recovery by improving psychological and physiological parameters.

Technical Approach:

This randomized controlled trial involved 50 participants who had recently completed COVID-19 treatment. They were randomly assigned into two groups:

• Study Group (n=25): Received a 4-week app-based Heartfulness meditation program.
• Control Group (n=25): Received a 4-week app-based relaxation program.

Assessments conducted before and after the intervention included:

• Psychological Measures: Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
• Physiological Measures: Baseline cardiovascular parameters.
• Biochemical Parameters: Complete blood count, serum cortisol levels, inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers, and antioxidant levels.

The outcome assessor was blinded to group assignments to reduce bias.

Distinctive Features:

• Target Population: Focused on post-COVID-19 patients, a group experiencing lingering psychological and physiological effects.
• Intervention Delivery: Utilized app-based platforms, ensuring accessibility and adherence during pandemic-related restrictions.
• Comprehensive Assessment: Combined subjective questionnaires with objective biochemical analyses to evaluate the intervention's efficacy.

Experimental Setup and Results:

Design: Randomized controlled trial with pre- and post-intervention assessments.

Findings:

• Both groups exhibited significant reductions in stress levels, serum cortisol, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress markers.
• Improvements in sleep quality and antioxidant levels were observed in both groups.
• The Heartfulness meditation group demonstrated more pronounced benefits across all measured parameters compared to the relaxation group.

Advantages and Limitations:

Advantages:

• Demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of a remote, app-based meditation program.
• Addressed both psychological and physiological aspects of post-COVID-19 recovery.
• Employed a randomized controlled design with blinded assessments to enhance validity.

Limitations:

• The sample size was relatively small, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
• The study duration was limited to 4 weeks; long-term effects were not assessed.
• The control group received a relaxation program, which may have its own therapeutic effects, potentially diluting the comparative impact of the Heartfulness meditation.

Conclusion:

The study indicates that a 4-week app-based Heartfulness meditation program can significantly improve stress levels, sleep quality, and biochemical markers related to inflammation and oxidative stress in patients recovering from COVID-19. These findings suggest that Heartfulness meditation may serve as a valuable nonpharmacological adjunct to standard post-COVID-19 care. Further research with larger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods is recommended to confirm and expand upon these results.