Meditation, once associated with hippies and alternative lifestyles, has now gone mainstream. From Silicon Valley executives to celebrities, people from all walks of life are turning to meditation to help manage stress and improve their mental and physical health. But what does the science say about the effects of meditation, and how did it become so popular?
The practice of meditation has been around for thousands of years, but it wasn’t until the 1960s and 70s that it began to gain popularity in the West as part of the counterculture movement. Meditation was seen as a way to escape the stresses of modern life and connect with a deeper spiritual truth. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s and 90s that meditation started to become more widely accepted in mainstream culture.
One key factor in the mainstreaming of meditation was the establishment of the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1995. The center developed the widely-used Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program, which teaches mindfulness meditation as a way to manage stress and improve health. The program has been used in hospitals and clinics around the world, and has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
But it wasn’t just the establishment of the Center for Mindfulness that contributed to the mainstreaming of meditation. Research has also played a key role in demonstrating the benefits of meditation.
Scientific research on meditation has been ongoing for several decades, and it has yielded a wealth of information on its benefits and effects on the brain and body. Here are some of the major scientific discoveries and unanswered questions related to meditation:
- Meditation can reduce stress and anxiety:
- Studies have shown that meditation can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, leading to a more relaxed and calm state of mind. This is thought to be due to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down heart rate and breathing.
- A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014 looked at 47 randomized controlled trials involving over 3,500 participants and found that meditation can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Another study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2012 used functional MRI to study the effects of meditation on the brain, finding that it can reduce activity in the amygdala, a region involved in processing stress and anxiety.
- A study published in Psycho neuroendocrinology in 2017 measured the effects of an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on cortisol levels, a hormone associated with stress, in healthcare professionals. The study found that cortisol levels decreased significantly after the program.
- Studies have shown that meditation can help reduce stress and anxiety levels, leading to a more relaxed and calm state of mind. This is thought to be due to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which slows down heart rate and breathing.
- Meditation can improve focus and attention:
- Several studies have demonstrated that meditation can improve cognitive function, including attention, memory, and decision-making. This is thought to be due to changes in brain activity, such as increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and decreased activity in the default mode network.
- A study published in Consciousness and Cognition in 2010 looked at the effects of a three-month meditation retreat on attention and found that it improved attentional performance on a task requiring sustained attention.
- Another study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement in 2018 compared the effects of different types of meditation on cognitive performance in college students, finding that breath awareness meditation improved working memory and executive function.
- A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2007 used functional MRI to study the effects of meditation on the brain, finding that it increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, a region involved in attention and working memory.
- Several studies have demonstrated that meditation can improve cognitive function, including attention, memory, and decision-making. This is thought to be due to changes in brain activity, such as increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and decreased activity in the default mode network.
- Meditation can improve emotional regulation:
- Research has shown that meditation can help regulate emotions and increase positive emotions, while decreasing negative emotions such as anger and anxiety. This is thought to be due to changes in brain activity in regions such as the amygdala, which is involved in emotional processing.
- A study published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience in 2014 looked at the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on emotion regulation in adolescents, finding that it increased positive emotions and decreased negative emotions.
- Another study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2008 looked at the effects of loving-kindness meditation on positive emotions, finding that it increased feelings of love, joy, and contentment.
- A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience in 2016 used EEG to study the effects of compassion meditation on the brain, finding that it increased activity in regions associated with empathy and positive affect.
- Research has shown that meditation can help regulate emotions and increase positive emotions, while decreasing negative emotions such as anger and anxiety. This is thought to be due to changes in brain activity in regions such as the amygdala, which is involved in emotional processing.
- Meditation can improve physical health:
- Studies have found that meditation can improve a variety of physical health outcomes, such as reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and reducing inflammation.
- A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension in 2014 looked at the effects of transcendental meditation on blood pressure in African American adults, finding that it reduced systolic blood pressure by 10 mm Hg.
- Another study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine in 2017 looked at the effects of an eight-week MBSR program on immune function in breast cancer survivors, finding that it improved natural killer cell activity and reduced inflammatory markers.
- A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2019 looked at the effects of a six-month meditation and yoga intervention on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese adults, finding that it reduced blood pressure and body mass index.
- Studies have found that meditation can improve a variety of physical health outcomes, such as reducing blood pressure, improving immune function, and reducing inflammation.
- Meditation can change brain structure:
- MRI studies have shown that long-term meditation practice can lead to changes in brain structure, such as increased gray matter in regions involved in attention, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.
Overall, the scientific research suggests that meditation can have a range of benefits for mental and physical health. While it may have once been seen as a fringe practice, the mainstreaming of meditation has led to increased interest in and understanding of its potential benefits. Whether you’re a Silicon Valley executive or a cancer survivor, meditation may be a powerful tool for improving your health and well-being.
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