ABS-MindHeart: An agent based simulator of the influence of mindfulness programs on heart rate variability

The heart rate variability is one of the most relevant health indicators. This indicator is related with the survival after myocardial infarction, the capacity of self-regulating emotions to positive states and the tolerance to stress. This work presents an agent-based simulator about the influences of different mindfulness programs on this indicator. The simulator is useful for (a) instructors as they can simulate the repercussion of new mindfulness programs, and for (b) practitioners since it can assist them in selecting an appropriate mindfulness program. The simulator is called ABS-MindHeart, and has been experienced with two different mindfulness programs. Its simulated outcomes are similar to the real ones according to the Paired t-test. This open-source simulator is distributed as an app and an online tool.