Patients with panic disorder who completed eight weeks of Rajyoga mindfulness meditation training showed significant increases in heart rate variability measures—SDRR, RMSSD, pNN50, and total power—compared to a waitlist control group receiving standard treatment alone. The LF/HF ratio decreased in the meditation group, indicating a shift toward greater parasympathetic activity. These findings suggest that Rajyoga meditation may improve autonomic regulation and could serve as a beneficial adjunctive intervention for panic disorder.
Adding Rajyoga meditation to standard treatment for panic disorder improves symptoms more than standard treatment alone. In a randomized controlled trial, 110 patients with panic disorder were assigned to either standard treatment plus Rajyoga meditation or standard treatment alone. After 8 weeks, scores on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale showed significantly greater improvement in the meditation group. The composite score combining both scales also showed a significant difference between groups. Rajyoga meditation, a form of meditation without rituals or mantras, is an effective adjunct therapy for panic disorder when practiced under a trained therapist.