Table 1.

Comparison of diurnal levels of melatonin, DHEA, cortisol, GH, prolactin, and DHEA/cortisol ratio between controls and meditators.

		Control (n=24)	Meditators (n=41)	p-value
Melatonin (pg/mL)	Morning	62.95±5.69	301.53±54.44	<0.001
	Evening	66.95±12.65	381.80±65.51	<0.001
		t=2.8, p=0.001	t=1.28, p=0.21
DHEA (pg/dL)	Morning	169.39±36.23	192.37±24.21	0.04
	Evening	156.72±36.22	213.25±33.14	0.04
		t=0.83, p=0.041	t=1.38, p=0.18
Cortisol (Pg/dL)	Morning	7.52±0.88	10.26±0.90	0.04
	Evening	15.31±1.02	15.85±0.93	0.70
		t=4.83, p=0.00	t=3.54, p=0.001
Growth hormone (ng/dL)	Morning Evening	0.14±0.05 0.33±0.70	0.30±0.10 0.22±0.33	0.19 0.56
		t=1.41, p=0.17	t=0.57, p=0.51
Prolactin (ng/dL)	Morning	12.93±1.52	12.95±1.76	0.99
	Evening	23.94±12.95	19.51±1.96	0.20
		t=3.34, p=0.003	t=4.38, p=0.00
DHEA/Cortisol ratio	Morning	28.06±5.55	24.82±4.41	0.65
	Evening	10.73±1.93	13.80±2.21	0.33
		t=3.17, p=0.005	t=2.26, p=0.02

Notes: Meditators show significantly higher diurnal levels of melatonin, DHEA, and morning levels of cortisol when compared to controls. Evening levels of melatonin, cortisol, and prolactin were higher in controls when compared to their morning levels. Meditators showed a significantly higher evening cortisol and prolactin levels than their morning levels. Values in mean ± SE, p<0.05 as significant level.