Enhancing Physiological Complexity Through Mindfulness: A Wearable-Based Intervention for First Responders and Their Partners.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) June 1, 2026 Thurmon E Lockhart, Rahul Soangra, Christopher Frames et al.
A one-month wearable-based mindfulness intervention improved heart rate variability complexity in 87 first responders, indicating better autonomic regulation and adaptive capacity. Participants wore Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices and received daily mindfulness messages, audio exercise prompts, or no treatment via a mobile app. Sample Entropy increased from 1.39 to 1.42, Multiscale Entropy showed significant gains, and Recurrence Rate and Determinism decreased, suggesting reduced physiological rigidity. Traditional metrics like heart rate and SDNN did not change significantly. The findings support digital mindfulness strategies for stress management in high-risk occupations.