from "Heartbeat Poetry" by Nicole Garbarini,
Scientific American Magazine, October 2004 :
"Reciting the Iliad could have epic effects on your health.
German physiologists have recently shown that such poetry
[dactylic hexameter]
can get your heart beating in time with your breaths.
This synchronization may improve gas exchange in the lungs
as well as the body's sensitivity and responsiveness to
blood pressure changes.
Cardiovascular and respiratory responses are not normally in sync.
Rhythmic fluctuations in blood pressure take place naturally in
10-second-long cycles known as Mayer waves, whereas
spontaneous breathing normally occurs at a rate of
approximately 15 breaths per minute."
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