The Benefits of Meditation on Brain Health
Wehaveallheardthatmeditationcanhelponegainperspective,relievestress, andcalmnerves.However,inwhatspecificwaysdoesmeditationimprovebrain health?Mindfulnesstraininghasbeenshowntoresultinbeneficialphysiological changesthatstrengthenthelinkbetweenmeditativestatesandthebrain.
Meditationhasenteredthemainstreaminrecentdecades.Individualsare devotingmoretimetomentalexercises,suchasfocusingonthebreathand practicingmindfulness,tobetterunderstandandappreciatethesignificanceof thepresent.Itseemslikeeverywhereyoulookthesedays,thereare many meditation centers near you offeringit.Eventhebusinessworldhas joinedthetrend,asdetailedinarecentBusinessInsiderarticletitled"Silicon Valleyisobsessedwithmeditation,andthere'snewevidenceitchangesthebrain forthebetter."
The Mind-Body Connection: Meditation's Brain-Body Benefits
Hippocampus left
Specifically,itisthispartofthebrainthatfacilitateslearning.Moodregulators likeself-awarenessandempathysithere,alongwiththecognitivetools necessaryforlearningandmemory.Meditationhasbeenshowntoincrease gray-matterdensityinthehippocampus,leadingtoimprovementsinmemory, focus,andothercognitiveabilities.
Inferior Cingulate Gyrus
Bothdaydreamingandthedegreetowhichinformationprocessingissubjective andself-referentialarelinkedtoactivityintheposteriorcingulate.Themore developedandrobusttheposteriorcingulate,thelesslikelyitisthatyour thoughtswillwanderandthemoregroundedyoursenseofselfwillbeinreality.
Meditationhasmanybeneficialeffectsonthemind,buttwoofthemostcrucial aredevelopinganonjudgmentalawarenessofthepresentmomentandlearning todetachfromthethoughtsandfeelingsthatariseinresponsetoexternal stimuli.Thedensityoftheposteriorcingulateappearstoincreasewith meditation.Sometimesitisnotpossibletodoitonmyown,lookout for meditation centers near you andfollowthepracticeswithprofessionals.
Pons
Alargenumberoftheneurotransmittersthatplayaroleincontrollingbrain activityaresynthesizedinthePons,makingitahighlyactiveandsignificant regionofthebrain.Thepons,orbridge,istheLatinwordforthemiddlesection ofthebrainstem.Theponsplaysanimportantroleinawiderangeofvital processes,suchasthoserelatedtosleep,facialexpressions,sensoryprocessing, andbasicphysicalactivities.Theponsbecomesfortifiedthroughmeditation.
The Temporo Parietal Junction (TPJ)
Thisiswhereyourtemporalandparietalbrainsmeet.
Wefancyourselvestobekind,compassionate,andfairindividuals.TheTPJ,or temporoparietaljunction,isaregionofthebraininvolvedinempathyand compassion.OnewayofputtingitisthattheTPJhighlightsexternalstimuliwhile theposteriorcingulatehighlightsinternalones.Whenwetrytounderstand anotherperson'sperspective,weengagetheTPJ.Thepositivechangesinour livesthatcomefrommeditating,suchasreducedstressandincreasedawareness ofthehereandnow,canhelpusbecomethekindofpeopleweaspiretobe becauseoftheenhancementstoourTPJ.
Amygdala
Inadditiontotheprefrontalcortex,theamygdalaalsoundergoesstructuraland functionalchangesasaresultofregularmeditationpractice.Butinsteadof growing,itcontracts.Expertmeditatorshaveasmalleramygdala,theareaofthe brainresponsibleforemotionslikeanxiety,fear,andstress.