Delizonna, Laura L.Williams, Ryan P.Langer, Ellen2009-07-202009Delizonna, Laura L., Ryan P. Williams, and Ellen J. Langer. 2009. The effect of mindfulness on heart rate control. Journal of Adult Development 16(2): 61-65.1068-0667http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3196008An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that mindful attention to change regarding heart rate (HR) would result in greater control over HR. Experimental groups monitored the changing or stable nature of HR, respectively. All participants' HR slowed during the decrease phase. Participants whose attention was directed to the stable nature of HR performed the worst on the increase phase of the HR control task. These results suggest that mindfulness, instantiated here as attention to variability, is a means to increasing control.en-USmindfulnessmindful attentionheart rate controlmindlessness10.1007/s10804-009-9050-6