Is there any science behind meditation? Well, yes of course! And its benefits are bigger and run more deeply than you might expect. Keep reading to find out how!
It’s deceivingly simple. You sit on a cushion, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. What’s so special about that? It turns out: a lot.
While the practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, and practitioners in both ancient and modern times have extolled its benefits nonstop, it’s only recently that science has been able to probe into the brain of meditators and look at the changes this seemingly simple practice produces in mind and body.
In this article, we’ll explore a few key points about the science of mediation and go over some of its benefits (proved by science) that will hopefully shed some light on what goes on in the brain and body while you sit still.
The Science of Meditation
As we’ve already explored, meditation is not about sitting idly for 20 minutes, but more about focusing your attention in a sustained way. And that requires effort and intention.
It’s this quality practice that will produce the brain and body changes we’ll explore in this section. Let’s dive into the science behind meditation.
Rewires the Brain
Plenty of studies using modern technology such as fMRI and EEGs have proved that a regular meditation practice produces measurable changes in different brain regions, such as the hippocampus (memory, cognitive ability) and the amygdala (stress, fight-or-flight).
That is to say, meditating frequently rewires neural connections and pathways in the brain.
These changes can take place thanks to the ability of the brain to rewire itself as a result of experience, a quality known as “neuroplasticity.”
Increases Grey Matter
Harvard neuroscientist Sara Lazar put novel meditators through an 8-week course on mindful meditation. After the course, she found an increase in grey matter density in several regions of the brain, such as the pre-frontal cortex—a region associated with higher-order functions like concentration and thoughtful decision-making.
Brain scans also showed that the amygdala (an emotional center involved in fear and threat detection, among many other functions) had shrunk and its connections with other brain regions had weakened, reducing physical and mental stress.
Grey matter also thickened in the right orbito-frontal cortex and the right hippocampus (emotional regulation and response control); the posterior cingulate (mind wandering); the pons (regulation of many essential functions, such as physical functioning, sleep, and processing of sensory input); and the temporo parietal junction (empathy, compassion, perspective taking).
This would account for the enhanced ability of meditators to remain more balanced, engage in mindful behavior, and remain attuned to the present moment.
Stops Mind Wandering
One of the reasons why many people struggle to meditate is that the mind likes to wander a lot. Mind wandering (i.e. thinking about what’s NOT happening) is our brain’s default state; in fact, the network responsible for it is called the “default network.”
That’s exactly why you should meditate.
Researchers have found that mind-wandering has a negative impact on our happiness and well-being, and people who meditate often have more positive emotions throughout the day.
This is because meditation reduces activity in the default network, curbing mind-wandering and helping us concentrate—even when we’re not meditating! The practice of meditation changes your default pattern and helps you remain in the present more, which is one key to happiness.
Gets You Out of Fight-or-Flight
Meditating elicits what’s known as the “relaxation response,” a term coined by Dr. Herbert Benson which refers to the “ability to encourage your body to release chemicals and brain signals that make your muscles and organs slow down and increase blood flow to the brain.”
It is, essentially, the opposite of the fight-or-flight response.
Studies carried out by Dr. Benson found that, by shrinking and reducing activity in the amygdala, meditation promotes better health, lowers stress levels, increases well-being, and can even reduce blood pressure and resting heart rate.
Practicing meditation for just 10 or 20 minutes a day induces a state of deep relaxation, battling all the symptoms of stress, and helping with all kinds of stress-induced health problems, even seemingly chronic ones, like insomnia or gastrointestinal ailments.
Changes your Genes
It has been clear to scientists for a number of years now that our lifestyle choices (diet, exercise, behavior, mindset) affect the expression of our genes (what’s known as epigenetics).
Evidence is accumulating that shows “a down-regulation of genes that have been implicated in inflammation” after mind-body interventions such as meditation.
Even though greater changes were observed after intense meditation practice (such as in meditation retreats), “both short-term and long-term practitioners evoked significant temporal gene expression.”
This means that meditating reduced the expression of genes linked to inflammation and stress-related pathways.
Scientists noticed that there was “no difference in the tested genes between the two groups of people” [the control group and the meditators] at the start of the study. “The observed effects were seen only in the meditators following mindfulness practice.”
Slows Down your Brainwaves
When meditating, brain waves slow down from beta (analytical mind, focus on the outer world) to alpha (resting state of the body, focus on the inner world) and then to theta (subconscious opens up).
This offers tremendous potential to reprogram our mind—and thus change the automatic patterns that don’t serve us.
In the words of Dr. Joe Dispenza, “by changing our brainwaves from beta to alpha to theta, we are able to bypass the analytical mind in order to enter the body’s operating system—otherwise known as the autonomic nervous system or the subconscious mind.
When we can consciously enter the midbrain by slowing down our thinking and changing our brainwaves, we can begin to influence—program/reprogram—our body in very specific ways.”
8 Benefits of Meditation (backed by science)
All the changes in body and mind that we’ve just discussed have, of course, great implications for our overall health. That’s why meditation is so closely linked to increased levels of happiness and well-being.
Let’s explore some of the scientific benefits of meditation.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
It has been long proven that meditation helps calm down the body and the mind.
Meditating regularly reduces the inflammation response caused by stress, thus ameliorating symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, and PTSD.
The focus and concentration meditation requires also shuts off the default network – that collection of areas that cause us to daydream, worry, and ruminate. In short, it reduces anxiety-provoking thoughts.
And when stressful situations arise, meditation gives us tools to cope better and regulate ourselves.
Promotes Emotional Health
Several studies have confirmed the power of meditation to improve symptoms of depression.
For example, one study carried out with more than 3,000 people concluded that mindfulness meditation had a positive impact on depressed subjects.
Inflammatory chemicals called cytokines that are released in response to stress also have a negative impact on mood and can contribute to depression. By reducing inflammation, meditation prevents the negative effects on mood of these inflammatory substances.
In another study, individuals that completed a mindful breathing meditation had reportedly fewer negative thoughts compared to the control group. Meditation also contributes to having a more positive outlook on life and an improved self-image.
Improves Focus and Attention
This one was a given. As we’ve mentioned, meditation curbs mind wandering and helps you focus – even when you’re not meditating!
A frequent practice has also been shown to lengthen your attention span, improve cognitive functions, and increase accuracy when completing a task.
The amazing thing is that even 15 minutes a day will produce these effects. There’s no excuse.
Enhances Self-Awareness
Meditation is an opportunity to open up space for ourselves in the midst of our busy lives. We’re always distracted and focused on the outside.
When we meditate, we turn our attention inward, and get a chance to peer inside ourselves and become more familiar with our emotions and thoughts.
At the same time, we learn how to master our awareness and how to move our attention to different areas of the mind. You become aware of what your thought patterns are, and learn how to steer them in more constructive directions.
Improves Memory
As we’ve seen, meditation increases gray matter concentration in brain regions such as the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory.
Meditating regularly can help fight memory loss and even dementia. For example, in one study, people with age-related memory loss performed better on neuropsychological tests as compared to the control group, showing a reduction in neurodegeneration.
Regular meditation also “increases blood flow to the brain, which leads to a stronger network of blood vessels in the cerebral cortex and reinforces memory capacity.”
Fosters Kindness and Compassion
Several studies and reviews have confirmed that meditation, in particular metta—or loving-kindness—meditation can increase positive feelings towards the self and others.
Metta meditation seems to increase feelings of empathy and compassion, and foster social closeness and connection. The more you practice, the more positivity you get.
Improves Sleep
Mindfulness-based meditation can help with both falling asleep and staying asleep – even in cases of severe insomnia.
By relaxing your body and helping you control racing thoughts that might keep you up at night, meditation creates the conditions for you to enjoy a good night of sleep.
Helps Control Pain
Meditation has been proven to help cope with pain—even chronic pain—by diminishing the perception of pain in the brain.
Monks have long been known to be able to manage their reaction to and perception of pain. But you don’t need to spend years in a monastery to achieve the same effect.
In one study, novice practitioners underwent four 20-minute sessions of meditation. Later, they were administered bits of pain. The result? A “40 percent decrease in pain intensity and a 57 percent reduction in pain unpleasantness.”
And it wasn’t just their perception of pain that changed. MRI scans showed reduced pain-related activation in the area of the brain where pain is built (the primary somatosensory cortex). At the same time, there was more activity in regions related to cognitive and emotional control, which meant meditators could regulate their response to pain a lot better.
Wrapping up
If you were still skeptical or unsure, I hope this article gave you the final nudge to finally give meditation a chance.
As you’ve seen, the benefits of meditation are so numerous and run so deep that not trying it would be plain nonsensical: it’s free, painless, simple, and doesn’t take up too much of your precious time.
Remember: meditation is a practice – the more you do it, the better you get and the more benefits you take. If you can’t devote 30 minutes a day, that’s ok. Do less, but do it. Five minutes is better than no minutes.
Those precious minutes -the science of meditation tells us- will give you the tools to know your mind better, grow your brain, heal your body, be kinder and happier, and make more thoughtful choices. They will teach you how to regulate your experience in whatever environment you’re in, as opposed to letting your environment dictate your experience.
No side effects.