<p>This is a Youtube video about long term meditation: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8v-acTNzuY&amp;spfreload=10" rel="nofollow">The Boy With Divine Powers - Buddha Boy</a> </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A meditating teenage boy in south-central Nepal who went without food or water for 10 months has changed the way we look at modern science and medicine forever. In 2006, Discovery Channel film crew traveled to Nepal to establish if it was possible for a human to abstain from all sustenance, water included, by filming "Buddha Boy" continuously for four days and nights.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T14:35:06.350Z
Thanks for the video about Ram Bomjon! While I accepted the answer that refers to actual scientific research (as this what I was after to begin with), the Discovery vid is quite interesting as well.
Kirill Kay
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T01:57:45.987Z
2015-10-13T10:39:33.250Z
2015-10-13T10:39:33.250Z
Shrawaka
<p>Check out this article: <a href="http://physiologyonline.physiology.org/content/nips/13/3/149.full.pdf" rel="nofollow">Meditation as a Voluntary Hypometabolic
State of Biological Estivation</a> by John Ding-E Young and Eugene Taylor.</p>

<p>It's a really interesting, brief read. Basically, it is a review of several studies on the physiology of meditators. It provides evidence for the case that aspects of meditation may be similar to hibernation, or "hypometabolism". For example, like some bear species are able to not eat or drink for months on end (as far as I know) and come out fine, maybe meditators are able to lower their metabolism and thus meditate indefinitely without physiological upset. Some really cool examples of people meditating underground for days, or in airtight boxes for multiple hours with no ill effects.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-10-13T00:03:18.477Z
2015-10-13T09:06:33.860Z
2015-10-13T09:06:33.860Z
Ian
<p>I keep hearing about Theravada monks who are able to stay in deep meditative states for days and weeks on end. While I do not [yet] question ability to stay in meditation for that long, what interests me is the physiological side of things: how human beings are able to spend that much time meditating without dying of dehydration or having some issues due to blocked blood flow etc. </p>

<p>Has anyone seen any research on topic or can offer a proper search query for Google scholar? </p>

<theravada><science><meditation>
Is there any research on physiology of deep and long meditative states (i.e. days and weeks of sitting)?
# Is there any research on physiology of deep and long meditative states (i.e. days and weeks of sitting)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-12)

I keep hearing about Theravada monks who are able to stay in deep meditative states for days and weeks on end. While I do not [yet] question ability to stay in meditation for that long, what interests me is the physiological side of things: how human beings are able to spend that much time meditating without dying of dehydration or having some issues due to blocked blood flow etc.

Has anyone seen any research on topic or can offer a proper search query for Google scholar?

**Tags:** theravada, science, meditation


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-13. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Check out this article: [Meditation as a Voluntary Hypometabolic
State of Biological Estivation](http://physiologyonline.physiology.org/content/nips/13/3/149.full.pdf) by John Ding-E Young and Eugene Taylor.

It's a really interesting, brief read. Basically, it is a review of several studies on the physiology of meditators. It provides evidence for the case that aspects of meditation may be similar to hibernation, or "hypometabolism". For example, like some bear species are able to not eat or drink for months on end (as far as I know) and come out fine, maybe meditators are able to lower their metabolism and thus meditate indefinitely without physiological upset. Some really cool examples of people meditating underground for days, or in airtight boxes for multiple hours with no ill effects.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2015-10-13. Score: 1

This is a Youtube video about long term meditation: [The Boy With Divine Powers - Buddha Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8v-acTNzuY&spfreload=10)

> A meditating teenage boy in south-central Nepal who went without food or water for 10 months has changed the way we look at modern science and medicine forever. In 2006, Discovery Channel film crew traveled to Nepal to establish if it was possible for a human to abstain from all sustenance, water included, by filming "Buddha Boy" continuously for four days and nights.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the video about Ram Bomjon! While I accepted the answer that refers to actual scientific research (as this what I was after to begin with), the Discovery vid is quite interesting as well.  

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