User:Content586/Institute of HeartMath

The Institute of HeartMath (IHM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and education organization studying the physiology of heart-brain communication, psychophysiology, biophysics, and neurocardiology.

IHM researches the physiological mechanisms by which the heart communicates with the brain; and the influence of the heart on cognitive processing, perception, emotion and health. The institute also develops technology and educational resources with the aim to help individuals synchronize the body’s systems to access heart intelligence based on their scientific findings.

IHM’s researchers have identified a psycho-physiological state called heart coherence in which the heart, brain, and other body systems are in sync. They refer to this state as providing better cognitive, emotional management, and stress management according to their research. The institute focuses much of its research and technology to help individuals achieve this state of heart coherence.

Doc Childre founded the institute in 1991 with its stated mission: to help establish heart-based living and global coherence by inspiring people to connect with the intelligence and guidance of their own hearts.

History

Founding

The institute was founded in 1991 by Doc Childre who wanted to explore the central role of the heart in health and well being. IHM’s work developed into the HeartMath System - the collective techniques, technology, intervention programs, and services offered from their research.

After HeartMath’s early stress and emotion research - with discoveries related to the influences of heart rhythms and heart-rate variability on human health and behavior - Childre and IHM researchers began focusing on how individuals could manage anger, anxiety and other debilitating emotions. They claim to have scientifically verified that by recognizing negative emotions and replacing them with positive ones - such as care, compassion and love - individuals could transform emotional states.

Global Coherence Initiative

In the summer of 2008 IHM launched the Global Coherence Initiative (GCI) - a science-based initiative to unite millions of people in heart-focused care and intention - to shift global consciousness from instability and discord; to balance, cooperation, and enduring peace. They are working with a team of researcher and intend to place a global network of sensitive magnetic-field detectors to monitor fluctuations in the earth’s geomagnetic fields and resonances in the ionosphere. They believe this monitoring system could give evidence of how human emotions and consciousness interact with earth’s energy fields.

Sister Companies

HeartMath LLC

HeartMath LLC, a separate entity from the institute, was established as a for-profit spinoff of the Institute of HeartMath in 1998. HeartMath LLC is a training, product development, and distribution company – integrating the research from IHM.

HeartMath LLC integrates scientific evidence collected and analyzed by the IHM Research Center - along with the tools, techniques, and technology developed – to distribute to public and private consumers. HeartMath LLC also certifies trainers to deliver tools and technologies in the form of products, intervention programs, and a range of personalized services. These products and services are intended for individuals and a range of government organizations, schools, corporations, and other entities.

Quantum Intech, Inc.

Quantum Intech, Inc. was established as a sister organization of both IHM and HeartMath LLC in 2002. Quantum Intech develops, manufactures, distributes, and licenses emotion-regulated technology products. It owns numerous patents for emotional management technologies.

Research

The Institute of HeartMath is engaged in basic psychophysiology, neurocardiology, and biophysics research. They are also engaged in clinical, workplace, and organizational intervention; and treatment outcome studies in collaboration with numerous universities, research centers, and independent researchers.

A description IHM’s research focuses based on their website are listed below with a link to their related publications:

Emotional Physiology

A key area of focus at the IHM Research Center is exploring emotions and how they affect physiology. IHM research places emphasis on the physiological effects of positive emotions, and especially intentionally experienced positive emotions. IHM studies declare to show pronounced beneficial changes in the patterns of activity in the autonomic nervous, immune, and hormonal systems - and the brain and heart - when individuals experience emotions such as appreciation, love, care, and compassion. IHM studies suggest there are indications these physiological changes may help explain the connection between positive emotions, improved health, and increased longevity. IHM researchers also state the heart plays an important role in the generation and perception of emotion. Related research.

Heart-Brain Interactions

IHM studies how the heart and brain maintain a continuous two-way dialogue; each influencing the other’s functioning. The heart sends far more information to brain than the brain sends to the heart, which is why much of IHM’s research focuses on the information coming from the heart. They also look at the how signals the heart sends to the brain can influence perception, emotional processing and higher cognitive functions. This system and circuitry is viewed by neurocardiology researchers as a "heart brain." The heart also generates the strongest rhythmic electromagnetic field in the body, in which IHM research shows this field can be measured in other individuals’ brain waves. Related research.

Development and Testing of Positive Emotion-Focused Tools

IHM's research into emotional physiology, heart-brain interactions, and other related aspects has guided the development of their heart-based tools, techniques, and technologies; which they claim to enable people in sustaining positive emotions and physiological coherence with greater consistency. These tools, techniques, and technologies have been tested for effectiveness in laboratory studies as well as intervention studies conducted in educational, organizational, and clinical settings. Related research.

Educational Intervention Studies

IHM’s educational intervention studies examine the effects of HeartMath programs in educational settings. According to IHM, their research shows HeartMath tools, techniques, technology, and learning programs levels have reduced general psychological distress, test anxiety, and risky behaviors; and improved test scores, classroom behavior, stress resiliency, learning, and overall academic performance at the elementary, middle school, high school, and college levels. Studies have been conducted to further investigate the impact of HeartMath programs in those settings and for special-needs children, including those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Related research.

Workplace Intervention Studies

IHM Intervention studies investigating the impact of HeartMath programs in the workplace have documented a wide range of organizationally relevant outcomes - including increases in productivity, goal clarity, job satisfaction, communication effectiveness, and improvement in employee health and reductions in turnover. IHM Studies also have examined the programs’ effect in helping organizations meet the demands of challenges such as downsizing and restructuring. Related research.

Treatment Outcome studies in Clinical Populations

IHM studies assess how positive emotion-focused tools and techniques help individuals with various health problems. IHM claims their research has demonstrated significant improvements in health, psychological well-being, and quality of life in people with hypertension, diabetes, congestive heart failure, AIDS, and other diseases. They state improvements that have also been noted in case history data from patients and healthcare professionals who have utilized HeartMath interventions for chronic conditions such as cardiac arrhythmia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, environmental sensitivity, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia. Related research.

Heart-Rate Variability and Autonomic Function

IHM conducts ongoing research into heart-rate variability (HRV), a measure of the naturally occurring beat-to-beat changes in heart rate. HRV analysis is a significant, noninvasive measure of autonomic nervous-system function and an indicator of neurocardiac fitness. IHM’s Research Center maintains an extensive HRV normals database, which provides data on the HRV of healthy individuals. IHM has published research demonstrating how HRV varies with age and gender, and how the use of HRV analyses assess alterations in autonomic function in conditions such as panic disorder and chronic fatigue. IHM also provides HRV analysis services for studies conducted by other institutions. Related research.

Emotional Energetics Research

IHM researches the phenomenon of the body’s most powerful rhythmic electromagnetic field originating from the heart, which can be detected several feet away by sensitive instruments. In addition to the physical, neurological, and hormonal production aspects of the heart; IHM research looks at the heart as an energetic system. Some of their research has indicated the heart’s field is a carrier of emotional information and a mediator of bioelectromagnetic communication, within and outside the body.

Advancements in IHM’s research suggest the heart’s field changes distinctly as individuals experience different emotions. This heart field, as IHM research suggests, can be registered in individual’s brains within a measurable radius. IHM researchers also claim this field could be capable of affecting cells, water, and DNA studied in vitro. IHM researchers believe interactions involving the heart may underlie intuition and important aspects of human consciousness. Related research.

Intuition Research

The Institute of HeartMath’s expanding studies in intuition have evolved because of what is now believed to be an intimate relationship between the heart and the intuitive process— which can be defined as the perception or knowing things without conscious reasoning, such as an event or act of nature that has yet to happen. As IHM researchers have conducted investigations over the years into stress and emotional management, heart intelligence, the heart-brain connection, heart-rhythm patterns and other areas - they are identifying the processes of intuition.

IHM researchers, and others who have explored intuition for more than a half century - state they expand its definition to include not only conscious perception by the mind alone, but also by the body’s entire psycho-physiological system. This perception often is evidenced by a range of emotions and measurable physiological changes exhibited or detected in the heart and throughout the body, according to a two-part HeartMath study on the Electrophysiological Evidence of Intuition. The conclusions drawn from this study include the following: "Overall, our data suggest that the heart and brain, together, are involved in receiving, processing, and decoding intuitive information. … (and) there is compelling evidence that the heart appears to receive intuitive information before the brain." Related research.

Global Coherence

IHM researchers have teamed with internationally renowned astrophysicist and nuclear scientist Elizabeth Rauscher to design, build, and implement the Global Coherence Monitoring System (GCMS). This system is expected to measure and explore fluctuations in the magnetic fields generated by the earth and ionosphere. When finally implemented the GCMS is intended to consist of approximately 12 sensors strategically located around the world. Global Coherence researchers believe this system will enable a new level of scientific inquiry into the relationship between the earth’s magnetic field, collective human emotions, human behaviors, and planetary changes.

Research using the GCMS will attempt to determine if the earth’s magnetic field influences human brain and heart activity, and whether collective human emotions modulate the earth’s magnetic fields. Previous research has shown changes in the earth’s magnetic field precede earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other planetary events. Related research.

Military Research

A number of independent studies utilizing HeartMath techniques and their emWave technology with military personnel have been conducted. IHM researchers are studying the effectiveness of HeartMath tools and technologies on the stressors specific to military service members. The basis of their research is the hypothesis that monitoring heart-rhythm patterns and practicing self-regulation tools could be beneficial for reducing stress, fatigue, and sleeplessness; while increasing cognitive function and building resilience.

The Dorn VA Medical Center in South Carolina is studying the application of HeartMath techniques to effectively reduce the physiological, cognitive, and psychological effects associated with PTSD. The Institute of HeartMath states these findings will be published in a scientific journal in the summer 2010. They also state that researchers recorded marked improvements in the attention and memory of soldiers with PTSD.

Publications

IHM research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals such as American Journal of Cardiology, Stress Medicine, Preventive Cardiology, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. Below is a chronological list of major Institute of HeartMath publications, books, and other peer-reviewed research on the institute’s findings.

1991— The first HeartMath book, The How to Guide for Teen Self-Discovery by Doc Childre, was published.

1995— The Effects of Emotions on Short-Term Power Spectrum Analysis of Heart Rate Variability. McCraty, M. Atkinson, W. A. Tiller, G. Rein, A. D. Watkins. American Journal of Cardiology 1995;76(14):1089-1093.

1996— Cardiac Coherence: A New, Noninvasive Measure of Autonomic System Order. R. McCraty, W. A. Tiller, M. Atkinson. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 1996;2(1):52-65.

1997— An Inner Quality Approach to Reducing Stress and Improving Physical and Emotional Wellbeing at Work. B. Barrios-Choplin, R. McCraty, B. Cryer. Stress Medicine 1997;13(13):193-201.

1998— Twenty-Four Hour Time Domain Heart Rate Variability and Heart Rate: Relations to Age and Gender Over Nine Decades. K. Umetani, D. H. Singer, R. McCraty, M. Atkinson. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 1998;31(3):593-601.

1998— The Impact of a New Emotional Self-Management Program on Stress, Emotions, Heart Rate Variability, DHEA and Cortisol. R. McCraty, B. Barrios-Choplin, D. Rozman, M. Atkinson, A. D. Watkins. Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science 1998;33(2):151-170.

1998— The Effects of Different Types of Music on Mood, Tension, and Mental Clarity. R. McCraty, B. Barrios-Choplin, M. Atkinson, D. Tomasino. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 1998:4(1):75-84.

1999— The Impact of an Emotional Self-Management Skills Course on Psychosocial Functioning and Autonomic Recovery to Stress in Middle School Children. R. McCraty, M. Atkinson, D. Tomasino, J. Goelitz, H. N. Mayrovitz. Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science 1999;34(4):246-268.

1999—The HeartMath Solution. A book published by HarperCollins Publishers. Co-authors Howard Martin and Institute of HeartMath founder, Doc Childre, both take an in-depth look at the heart and it’s alliance with the mind and body.

2002— A Controlled Pilot Study of Stress Management Training of Elderly Patients With Congestive Heart Failure. F. Luskin, M. Reitz, K. Newell, T. G. Quinn, W. Haskell. Preventive Cardiology 2002;5(4):168-172, 176.

2006— TestEdge National Demonstration Study. Raymond Trevor Bradley, Ph.D., Rollin McCraty, Ph.D., Mike Atkinson, Lourdes Arguelles, Ph.D., Robert A. Rees, Ph.D. and Dana Tomasino. HeartMath Research Center, Institute of HeartMath, Publication No. 00-010. Boulder Creek, CA, 2007. The U.S. Department of Education funded a study conducted by IHM that aimed, in part, at increasing teacher retention and reducing test anxiety for students. The institute lists a summary of their findings here.

2008— De-Stress Kit for Changing Times. A free eBook by IHM made available to give the public techniques to handle many kinds of stress.

2010— State of Ease. A free eBook written IHM Founder, Doc Childre, to help individuals release emotional turbulence and maintain coherent alignment between heart, mind, and emotions.

Criticism

Most of the criticism surrounding the Institute of HeartMath is regarding their ability to reduce stress from their Heart Rate Variability measuring tools, including IHM’s emWave biofeedback technologies. Some of the tools and technologies, including emWave technology, require the user to produce a feeling while measuring their emotional state through biofeedback. The paired use of IHM biofeedback technology and self-induced feelings are sometimes scrutinized under the expectation that the biofeedback devices alone will reduce stress. However, IHM’s emWave technologies are intended to be used with self-induced feelings using IHM tools or the users own personal techniques, meditations, intentions, and practices to produce positive feelings.

The Institute of HeartMath’s Heart Rate Variability (HRV) graphs have been also criticized because they sometimes look illogical. Some believe the graphs to be measuring heart rate change, while HRV graphs actually measure the variability of time between heart beats and then use this measurement in an algorithm to produce the data points on their HRV graphs.

Other criticism of the institute is regarding the fact they conduct extensive research in support of their tools and technologies. While IHM does conduct extensive research, many other major peer-reviewed scientific studies have been published in major scientific journals supporting their findings.

See also

• Heart rate variability
• Test anxiety
• Intuition (knowledge)
• Workplace stress

External links

• Institute of HeartMath official website
• HeartMath LLC official website
• Global Coherence Initiative official website

Content586 (talk) 18:36, 23 June 2010 (UTC)