More and more researchers are interested in the science behind meditation and how it can impact the human brain and body. Also, in the past few decades, more and more people have become interested in mindfulness meditation. That is why scientists have also started paying more attention to it. They’ve done a lot of research to see if mindfulness can help with different problems like tummy troubles, body pain, skin issues, feeling worried or sad, and feeling very stressed after something bad happens. More: Brain-wave frequencies: Technical aspects
Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.
Arianna Huffington
Some studies found that mindfulness meditation can be helpful, but some weren’t done very well, so we’re not sure if we can trust those results. However, there are some areas, like feeling very sad, having body pain, or feeling very stressed, where good studies showed that mindfulness meditation can be just as helpful as other treatments people already use. More: 5 basic meditation techniques
Exploring mindfulness meditation’s impact on depression through brain scans
Gaelle Desbordes is studying how mindfulness meditation affects depressed people using brain scans. She began meditating herself during her studies and found it helped with stress, sparking her interest. In her research, she used a machine called an fMRI scanner to take pictures of the brain before and after meditation to see what changes happen. More: Ayahuasca: Reach a higher state of consciousness
Her studies have shown that the effects of meditation on the brain can last even when people aren’t meditating. She’s been focusing on depressed patients, using the scanner to see if meditation can make a difference for them. During the study, participants did exercises like focusing on their heartbeat and then trying to stop thinking negative thoughts. Desbordes also has a group of depressed patients who don’t meditate, to compare results.
The study, funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, started in 2014 and ended in 2019. Desbordes hoped to show how meditation helps depressed people by making them more aware of their bodies and helping them focus on the present. Her work aims to understand how mindfulness meditation can break the cycle of negative thoughts and improve mental well-being in depressed individuals. More: Healing through nature: How the environment restores our well-being
The science behind meditation: Research at Harvard and MGH
The science behind meditation has been interesting for a long time. In the 1970s, Herbert Benson, a professor at Harvard Medical School, looked into something he called “The Relaxation Response.” He found that it’s a common thing that happens when people do activities like transcendental meditation, yoga, or deep prayer. Benson thought it was the opposite of the body’s “fight or flight” response, which makes us feel anxious. This idea was first talked about by another scientist at Harvard in 1915.
Other researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) are also studying how meditation affects the body. Sara Lazar, for example, used a special machine in 2012 to show that people’s brains get thicker after they do meditation for eight weeks. There are many ongoing studies at places like MGH’s Benson-Henry Institute, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, and the Cambridge Health Alliance. More: Achieve your purpose with mindful coach
These researchers, including Desbordes and Lazar, are working together through the Mindfulness Research Collaborative. They want to understand more about how meditation helps people and how it affects the body and brain.
The challenges
One challenge for researchers is figuring out exactly what mindfulness means. Some people think of it as a type of meditation that helps you focus on the present moment. Others see it as simply paying close attention to what’s happening right now, without getting distracted. More: How to stop the anxiety cycle?
Another challenge is that there are many different ways to meditate. Scientists mainly study a type of meditation called mindful meditation, which doesn’t have any religious beliefs tied to it. But meditation is also part of some old religious traditions, and even within the secular meditation community, there are different ways people do it. Some might meditate more often or for longer periods.
Gaelle Desbordes, the researcher we talked about earlier, is interested in a type of meditation called compassion meditation. This kind of meditation is about becoming more caring towards others.
One well-known program that researchers often use is an eight-week course called mindfulness-based stress reduction. It was created in the 1970s and includes group sessions, daily practice, and a day-long retreat. It’s become a standard for both therapy and research. Desbordes used a similar program called mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which also includes elements of talk therapy known to help with depression. More: Learn how to meditate in the right way
The science behind meditation takeaways
Understanding how meditation affects our bodies and minds is fascinating. It can change how our brains work and help us handle our emotions better. Science shows that meditation is good for us in many ways. But, it’s important to know that these changes don’t happen quickly. It takes time and practice to get used to meditation. The goal is to learn to relax and be present without worrying about what might happen. The more you practice, the easier it gets. More: The link between quantum physics and the Law of Attraction
Sources: The Harvard Gazette and Medicover Hospitals
