Meditation Produces Changes In The Brain, According To Science
Meditation is in fashion these days ; However, it is an ancient practice that has been practiced for centuries.
In recent years, many people in the West have chosen to delve into meditative practice for its benefits both mentally and physically, and meditation becomes a great alternative in these times, as it helps to stay in the here. and now, connected with ourselves and with a relaxed mind, far from this busy world, far from unrealistic expectations.
The goal of meditation exercises and even some forms of yoga is to control breathing to induce a state of calm and concentration. Paying attention to and controlling your breathing is a basic component of many meditation practices (and also Mindfulness). Research carried out in this field suggests that this practice has multiple benefits: induces a general feeling of well-being while reducing anxiety and improving sleep, e.g
The benefits of meditation are clear, but what exactly happens in the brain during meditation? Neuroimaging studies in humans have shown that brain regions involved in attention (frontal lobe) and emotions (limbic system) are affected at various stages of meditative practice. In addition, a new study carried out in mice and recently published in the journal Science shows that neurons in the brain stem are also involved in the connection between breathing and the calm state characteristic of meditation.
New scientific evidence
In reality, what this study did was build on previous research, one of them, carried out by scientists at the University of California in 1991, which discovered the pre-Bötzinger complex, an area that contains neurons that activate rhythmically. with every breath. It is a type of respiratory pacemaker, very different from the cardiac pacemaker, and has a wide variety of different rhythms, for example, in cases of yawning.
Researchers at Stanford University found that this region is significantly activated during meditation, and Mark Krasnow, a professor of biochemistry at this university and co-author of the study, states that “this is not a region that simply provides air to the lungs, but these breaths are also associated with social and emotional signals.” A group of neurons in this area are those that are activated every time we inhale or exhale, like a respiratory pacemaker. Meditation helps us have greater control over breathing and makes us feel great well-being when we have the will to do it.
Other conclusions from the researchers
In addition to the previous study, there are many investigations that have been carried out in order to try to discover what exactly happens in the meditator’s brain. A study published in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging states that Those people who meditate 30 minutes a day for eight weeks acquire a greater density of gray matter in the parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy or stress reduction. This gray matter is located primarily in the hippocampus, an area important for learning and memory.
Britta Hölzel, a psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and director of the research, explains that “the main idea of meditation is to connect with oneself, with the here and now, with bodily sensations. “, emotions or breathing. The essential thing is to find the connection between the body and the mind, and this is what we have shown happens.”
Likewise, Sara Lazar, scientist of this study concludes that thanks to meditation:
All these changes in the brain are responsible for meditation being beneficial for human beings. Now, these changes do not occur instantly, since meditating requires practice, will and, logically, effort.
Unfortunately, many people think that meditation is simply sitting and breathing; However, especially in the initial stages, one fights against the body’s resistance, and until you are aware that this is part of the process, you may not enjoy its full benefits.
However, the good meditator benefits significantly for several reasons Meditating helps:
