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Meditation for Mind: Key Science Backed benefits

In recent time, the topic “Meditation” and the practice of meditation is making headline. Scientists, life coaches, Neurologists are highlighting the benefits of meditation more and more. Meditation is not something new. Originated in the present time Indian subcontinent, it has been there for almost 5000 years. Almost anyone can practice meditation. All you need is a willing heart to meditate, a distraction free space and some moments to spend. Although we are not discussing the techniques of various meditation methods. We are definitely going to discuss the benefits of Meditation:

Reduced stress and anxiety:

Stress and anxiety are common scenario in modern life, where we have lot to do in our to do list, and it causes unwanted stress or anxiety. Stress and anxiety can harm our happiness. It can also negatively affect our health and mental well-being.

The main cause of chronic stress and anxiety is overexposure to stressful situations for extended periods of time. Cortisol, which is the main stress hormone, is released during stressful situations. Overexposure to it can narrow blood vessels, shrink brain size, and give birth to various health complications.

To live a healthy and happy life, we need to focus on managing our stresses and anxieties. Making lifestyle adjustment, and practices like mindfulness meditation works for most people. Empirical research has also proved that, meditation practices can aid in stress reduction in people who face frequent psychological stresses (1).

People who experience generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms, also feel overwhelmed with their life, and face with frequent worry, and hesitation. It interferes with their daily life, and life affairs. Most of the time, it requires medical attention. But mindfulness practices can be an effective option in reducing anxiety symptoms over long term basis. One study found that 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation helped reduce anxiety symptoms in people with generalized anxiety disorder, along with increased positive self-statements, improving stress reactivity and coping mechanism. (2).

The result from two study proved the point that, meditation not only effective in aiding in managing or reducing stress. It is also effective for people experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

Promotes emotional health

We humans have multiple emotions in our psyche ranging from positive ones such as happiness, relaxation, optimism to negative ones such as sadness, depression, hesitation and anxiety. All those feelings are there for our survival. Positive feelings help us living a fruitful life, and negative ones help us escape from danger. The primary stress hormone, Cortisol, which is called the fight or flight hormone helped us escape from predators and versatile animals in primitive time. When we face with stressful situations, the same primitive mechanism gets activated. Cortisol hormone is released, then the brain signals another brain part called amygdala, which is an almond size part of brain responsible for sensing danger, gets activated. Then our heart rate increases, we feel stressed out.

Although stress is normal, and it is necessary to take actions in our ordinary life. But when we get overexposure to stress, it affects our cardiovascular system. Modern day science has proved that overexposure to cortisol hormone can rise to various health issues such as hormonal imbalances, depression and anxiety, neurodegenerative diseases etc. Exposure to chronic stress can increase the size of amygdala which can increase the anxiety symptoms. Which can result in psychiatric conditions such as GAD, and Social Anxiety Disorder. Where a person may experience excessive worry, hesitation and anxiousness.

Meditation practices can be savior in helping people with coping with those negative emotions. For example, one study has found that regular mindfulness meditation practices as a treatment option given to 3,500 adults reduced the symptoms of Depression (3). Another study has found that, adults who used a meditation app and practiced mindfulness practices over the course of two weeks noticed reduced feelings of loneliness, and increased social contact compared to those in a control group (4).

Overexposure to stresses can increase the volume of amygdala which can result in more anxious behavior and though pattern. Symptoms of anxiety are due to overactive amygdala. Most of the time, chronic stress and anxiety disorder requires medical treatment. But adding mindfulness practices as a treatment plan can offset anxiety symptoms. A study has found that 8 weeks of meditation practice can reduce the activity of amygdala size (5). Another study has found that people who regularly practiced meditation and yoga had smaller right amygdala volume (6). Right amygdala is associated with negative emotions. And smaller right amygdala size indicates lesser negative emotions.

Better cognitive function, pathway to success

Cognitive function such as attention span, decision making, memory, executive functions are necessary to live a productive and healthy life. Often time minor or major events can disrupt our cognitive functions for shorter or longer periods of time. Such as stress, traumatic events, nutrition deficits, environmental pollutions or bad habits. But recovery is possible through supplementation, treatment options, diet, and exercise. One of the finest ways to boost cognitive functions is mindfulness practices.

Meditation practices means focusing on inner world of mind, and eliminating thoughts and distractions. It allows mind to relax, and to detox. It eliminates unwanted thoughts and emotions. Regular mindfulness practices are a way to promote calmness, mental detoxification and better emotional health in various cultures in eastern regions for almost 5000 years. Ayurvedic medicine promotes mindfulness practices to get rid of negative emotions, and promote better brain. Sleep quality, which is a key tool in physical and mental recovery, can be enhanced though mindfulness practices.  Not only that, modern medicine and researches have enough empirical evidence which validates those mind boosting benefits of meditation.

For example, a study found that regular meditation practitioners performed better on visual tasks, and had better attention span than those without meditation experience (7). Study have found that, Meditation practices can promote changes in the brain region associated with memory, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. (8).

Meditation can also boost intelligence and creativity. Siegfried Othmer, former president of the neurofeedback division of Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, conducted a research which found that, participants who meditated regularly saw 23 percent gain in IQ. Also, Research has found that short-term mindfulness meditation can boost creative thinking and better insight while maintain an alert state during meditation (9).

Another research has verified that mindfulness practices can increase the connectivity between brain, and promote cognitions in healthy older adults. (10)

Overall, empirical evidences suggest that mindfulness practices can boost cognition, boost memory, promote emotional regulations, increase self-awareness, increase creativity and intelligence. Incorporating mindfulness practice on daily regular basis can boost positive effects of brain.

Summary:

Mindfulness practices can reduce anxiety and stress, promote emotional health and better emotional processing and boost cognition.

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