9. How Meditation Affects Your Heart (b)

Your heart doesn’t just respond to physical activity—it also reacts to your mental state.

Acem Meditation has been shown to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the part that helps you relax and recover. This shift happens within just 5 to 6 minutes after you begin meditating, and leads to slower heart rate and reduced cardiovascular stress.

In contrast, the sympathetic nervous system is what drives stress and prepares the body for action. Long-term overactivation of this system is linked to serious heart problems—like high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and heart attacks.

By boosting parasympathetic activity, Acem Meditation helps counterbalance stress and supports long-term heart health—naturally, and effectively.

Research references Solberg EE, Ekeberg O, Holen A, Ingjer F, Sandvik L, Standal PA, et al. Hemodynamic changes during long meditation. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback. 2004;29(3):213-21. Nesvold A, Fagerland M, Davanger S, Ellingsen Ø, Solberg E, Sevre K, et al. Increased heart rate variability during nondirective meditation. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehab. 2011;19(4):773-8. Ellingsen Ø. A marker of stress reduction. In: Eifring H, editor. The Power of the Wandering Mind. Oslo: Dyade Press; 2019.