Active conditions of autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular system following a practice of qigong after stress

Fourteen healthy male and female (mean age=44.1+-9.6) performed qigong practice. Active conditions of the autonomic nervous system and the cardiovascular system before and after qigong practice following the stress were observed. Conditions of the autonomic nervous system and the cardiovascular system were estimated by analyses of heart rate variability and pulse waves at the radial artery. As a qigong practice, subjects sat quietly with soft and natural breath and with concentration to a lower abdominal region.

As a result, qigong practice activated the condition of the vagal nerve. Qigong practice without any motion repressed the condition of the sympathetic nerve which controls temperature acting on peripheral circulation. Arteries tended to contract after stimuli of noise and dazzling lights. Meanwhile, after qigong practice, arteries tended to converge into the moderate contraction (compliance).