Cardiac coherence

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The most helpful thing I did during my benzodiazepines withdrawal was cardiac coherence.

 

My personal rhythm is 4.5 seconds at inspiration and 5.5 at expiration, for 5 minutes, 3 times daily, minimum 5 hours apart.

 

This is a Google translation of a french Wikipedia article.

 

 

Cardiac coherence

 

Cardiac coherence (or cardiac resonance) is defined as a physiological pendulum phenomenon resulting from the synchronization of the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. This concept was developed in the United States in the 1990s.

 

It is also today a relaxation and biofeedback technique based on voluntary breathing aimed at increasing heart rate variability (HRV) which is regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS) .

 

This regular breathing is supposed to allow a control of the heart rate and by increasing the variability of heart rate, it would thus be a method of management of the stress, the anxiety and the emotions improving more the concentration. It could help in the treatment of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety states or chronic insomnia, as the publication of a clinical case suggests. Nevertheless, by the author's own admission, this isolated observation requires further investigation before being generalized. She could find her interest in psychiatry and in the context of certain gastrointestinal disorders.

 

A typical session consists of breathing deeply at the rate of six breathing cycles (inhale then exhale) per minute for five minutes.

 

The practice of cardiac coherence, by making it possible to learn to control one's breathing, is presented as capable of bringing about benefits, both at the level of mental or emotional health, and at the level of physical health.

 

Summary

1 History

2 Alleged mechanisms of action

2.1 Autonomous nervous system

2.2 vagus nerve

2.3 Vagal tone

2.4 Heart rate variability

2.5 Respiratory sinus arrhythmia

2.6 Biofeedback

3 Benefits

3.1 Cardiovascular diseases

3.2 Brain

3.3 Digestive system

3.4 immunity

3.5 Inflammatory diseases

3.6 Metabolic syndrome

3.7 Sports practice

3.8 Cancers

4 Techniques and research

4.1 Heart rate measurement

4.2 Method 365

4.3 Online or smartphone applications

5 Reviews

6 Notes and references

7 See also

7.1 Related articles

7.2 External links

 

History

It is distributed in the United States by Stephen Elliott and, in France, by the foundation of doctor David Servan-Schreiber, then by the professional training institute Equilibios of doctor David O'Hare.

 

Alleged mechanisms of action

Autonomous nervous system. The autonomic nervous system has two sides: the sympathetic (or orthosympathetic) nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system, whose physiological effects on the organism are diametrically opposed.

 

The sympathetic nervous system prepares for flight or fight, by secreting adrenaline during acute stress. The heart and respiratory rates accelerate, the tension rises, the vessels contract, the pupils dilate (mydriasis) and the whole digestive system is put to rest, the blood being directed preferentially towards the muscles.

 

The parasympathetic nervous system acts in the opposite direction: miosis of the pupils via the cranial III nerve, bradycardia and stimulation of digestive functions via the vagus nerve or cranial X nerve ...

 

Vagus nerve

The vagus nerve innervates the entire thoracic and abdominal organs. The heart and lungs are the main targets at the thoracic level. Its stimulation causes bradycardia and narrowing of the airways.

 

At the abdominal level, the entire digestive system is involved: it is not only the digestive tract with its motility and its secretions that are stimulated, but also organs such as the liver or the pancreas. The immune system is affected in particular the lymphoid tissue associated with the digestive tract.

 

The urinary tract and the genitals are also modulated.

 

The parasympathetic nervous system, via the vagus nerve, promotes tissue recovery and repair, relaxation and rest. It slows down the heart and directs the blood to the splanchnic territory, promoting there all the processes that intercome in digestion (digestive secretions, hepatic metabolism, acceleration of transit ...)

 

By the method of Wim Hof, recent studies have shown that the conscious activation of the autonomic nervous system is possible, in particular via respiration which is an often unconscious and reflex process, but which can be easily modulated by the will.

 

Vagal tone

Since vagal tone is not directly measurable, its non-invasive quantification requires the study of the physiological processes that are altered during damage to the vagus nerve, in particular heart rate and heart rate variability. The increase in vagal tone (and therefore vagus nerve activity) is associated with a heart rate that is not only decreased, but also more variable. This heart rate variability is measured by comparing the increase in frequency during deep inspiration versus the decrease during deep expiration.

 

Heart rate variability

Heart rate variability (HRV) measures fluctuations in the time interval between two heart contractions.

 

The heart rate is negatively regulated by the stimulation of baroreceptors located mainly at the level of the carotid sinus, the arch of the aorta and the right atrium of the heart in connection with the autonomic nervous system. A high variability would indicate a good immediate capacity of adaptation of the heart to the solicitations, and would thus be at the same time a sign and a factor of health.

 

It uses the concept of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (ARS)

 

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a normal physiological change in heart rate that occurs with each respiratory cycle. The heart rate increases during inspiration and decreases during the expiration period. The ARS increases in a state of rest and decreases in a state of stress or tension, increases in a lying position and decreases in a standing position, but it is however more pronounced during the day compared to the night.

 

It constitutes a biological marker of a state of good health, gradually decreasing with age and in people with pathologies such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. ARS is lower in children with autism spectrum disorders compared to healthy controls.

 

The regular practice of cardiac coherence, by gradually increasing this ARS, would therefore participate in the improvement of the state of health.

 

Biofeedback

Biofeedback is a method of training subjects to regulate their own physiology using sensors recording some of their physiological parameters, here heart rate, and which are connected to an output screen allowing them to view the influence that the state of stress or the breathing can cause as modifications of the recorded parameter.

 

Studies have clearly shown that patients can use biofeedback techniques to regulate their autonomic nervous system and more specifically the balance between their sympathetic and parasympathetic system, which has provided the impetus for a large-scale systematic study of self-regulation. in heart disease.

 

It is therefore a self-regulatory therapy by which the patient thus learns to optimize the functioning of his autonomic nervous system himself. The psychophysiological effects of biofeedback applied to heart rate variability (HRV biofeedback) make it possible to increase cardiac coherence in patients with coronary artery disease, in addition to stress management during their cardiac rehabilitation.

 

Since heart rate variability is decreased in cardiovascular disease and depression, the practice of cardiac coherence is successfully used to amplify heart rate variability and reduce both sympathetic hyperexcitation and activation of heart rate. inflammatory cascade.

 

Benefits

Maintaining high heart variability is helpful in ensuring the best possible health.

 

Measuring this heart variability also provides an excellent indicator for assessing a person's health.

 

Thus, patients with good vagal tone live longer and in better conditions, including those who suffer from cancer, because they experience less fatigue, anxiety, pain, depression and infections.

 

Tests are currently underway to determine the best method of vagus nerve stimulation to improve cardiac variability. The practice of cardiac coherencee constitutes an easy and effective method of stimulation. External devices providing vagal stimulation are also under study.

 

Cardiovascular diseases

The practice of cardiac coherence has great therapeutic potential in cardiovascular disease, as many of these diseases involve deregulation of the autonomic nervous system.

 

In these diseases, overactivation of the sympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system and psychological stress, together, negatively affect quality of life, clinical status, as well as disease progression. The practice of cardiac coherence targets these three areas.

 

Much research has focused on hypertensive patients, showing an increase in atrial natriuretic factor, an anti-hypertensive hormone secreted by the heart, as well as a decrease in cortisol, which is the chronic stress hormone. Studies suggest that regular cardiac coherence practice can be helpful in improving symptoms and quality of life in heart patients. The favorable effects on the cellular and molecular remodeling of a failing heart make it possible to slow down the progression of the disease, in the event of heart failure and stable coronary artery disease. Cardiac coherence is therefore increasingly used, in addition to stress management, in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

 

Brain

Assessment of autonomic nervous function, by measuring heart rate variability, is increasingly used as an objective measure of mental or physical fatigue18. Many brain disorders (fatigue, mood, attention, anxiety, insomnia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, convulsions, head trauma) can be improved by practicing cardiac coherence.

 

Regularly practicing cardiac coherence has a positive impact on the depression that often accompanies cardiovascular disease.

 

It improves concentration and memorization, by increasing certain neurotransmitters, including dopamine, which facilitates access to the prefrontal cortex. It is therefore particularly useful in children with attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD).

 

It also increases serotonin, helping to improve certain depressions, and oxytocin, promoting attachment.

 

The increase in alpha waves, visible on EEG, help improve memory and learning, as well as the coordination of movements and communication.

 

Digestive system

By acting through an increase in vagal tone, all digestive functions are improved, whether motility (via migrating motor complexes), secretions from the digestive tract (gastric, small intestine) or related organs (liver and gall bladder, endocrine and exocrine pancreas).

 

Cardiac coherence will be useful during chronic bacterial colonization of the small intestine, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), via increased motility, stimulation of enzymatic secretions, better immunity via in particular the lymphoid tissue associated with the digestive tract, secretory IgA secretions and other anti-microbial agents (defensins, etc.).

 

Immunity

The practice of cardiac coherence improves immune defenses, in particular by increasing secretory IgA within digestive secretions (saliva, small intestine).

 

Inflammatory diseases

Allergic diseases, including asthma, are improved. [Ref. necessary]

 

Metabolic syndrome

It not only promotes weight loss, but via a reduction in visceral fat and hepatic steatosis, which can be visualized by a decrease in the abdominal perimeter, it leads to better control of blood sugar and insulinemia.

 

Sports practice

Improved recovery after exercise, better pain tolerance, and increased DHEA have also been reported.

 

Measuring heart rate variability is used more and more often during sports training, in particular to assess states of fatigue and avoid overtraining.

 

Cancers

People with cancer who have an active vagus nerve live longer and benefit from a better quality of life, according to a recent study conducted by Marijke De Couck, professor of the VUB and the Haute école Odisée, who states: "Survival expectancy of patients with double metastasized pancreatic cancer, 64 days to 133.5, if their cardiac variability is high ".

The finding is similar for other types of cancer, such as that of the lungs, colon or liver, for example. “In patients whose vagus nerve has been severed, there is even a higher risk of colon, prostate and stomach cancer and more deaths from lung cancer.”

 

Techniques and research

During inspiration, there is an increase in vagal tone and a decrease during expiration [ref. necessary]. Studies have shown that the ideal is to practice regular breathing, with respiratory cycles (slow, regular and deep inspiration, followed by an equally slow, regular and deep expiration) lasting 10 seconds. This therefore leads to six respiratory cycles per minute, practiced in a calm manner, with concentration, fluidity and smoothly.

 

Depending on the desired effect, the relative duration of inspiration and expiration may vary, possibly interspersing pauses, for example  :

 

5 seconds of inspiration followed by 5 seconds of expiration;

4 seconds of inspiration followed by 6 seconds of expiration (dominant parasympathetic effect ;

6 seconds of inspiration followed by 4 seconds of expiration (dominant sympathetic effect);

4 seconds of inspiration - 1 second pause, followed by 4 seconds of exhalation - 1 second pause.

To potentiate the effects, the subject may be asked to relax certain areas of his body such as the face, tongue, throat, hands, diaphragm or feet. Likewise, when the subject has gained some experience, practicing mental visualizations and having benevolent thoughts also improves their effectiveness.

 

Heart rate measurement

The heart rate can be measured either via an electro-cardiogram (ECG) or via a sensor measuring capillary flow, placed on the earlobe or on a finger.

 

Some connected watches allow measurement of heart variability, such as the Apple Watch. The measurement can be performed manually by performing a cardiac coherence session, or can be viewed via the dedicated smartphone application whose measurements are taken randomly throughout the day.

 

Method 365

This method is used commercially in France, Belgium and Switzerland, as well as in Luxembourg and Quebec by Dr David O'Hare, via the Equilibios institute which offers the training of health professionals. Practiced regularly at the rate of 3 daily sessions, at the rate of 6 respiratory cycles per minute and lasting 5 minutes, cardiac coherence would quickly present numerous benefits, both in the short and in the long term21.

 

It should be practiced 3 times a day because its beneficial effects only persist for a few hours.

 

The rate of 6 breaths per minute corresponds to a respiratory rate of 0.1 hertz which is a resonant frequency of many biological rhythms, including the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

 

It is necessary to adopt an abdominal inspiration through the nose and an expiration through the mouth, pursed lips. For anatomical and physiological reasons cardiac coherence must be practiced in a seated position with the back straight. For these reasons, cardiac coherence does not work well while lying down. Having acquired a little experience, it can also be practiced standing, or even walking.

 

Online or smartphone applications

 

The HeartMath Institute in California is the instigator of various studies and techniques on cardiac coherence including Neutral, Quick Coherence, Freeze Frame and Lock-in.

 

Many mobile applications exist for practicing the method independently 24,5, as part of psychotherapy with a professional, or in self-medication.

 

In general, we follow with our eyes an object which moves from bottom to top while synchronizing its breathing with the movement of the object. A variation is listening to regular sounds, such as the ebb and flow of waves. Applications usually allow you to change certain parameters, such as the relative durations of inspiration and expiration.