Meditating changes your life: neuroscience proves it

Meditation is a natural state of the human being, and as such has been practiced for millennia. However, In recent decades there has been a growing interest at the psychological and neuroscientific level to understand what are the benefits of this practice and what are the actual changes it produces.

The cerebral and psycho-emotional benefits of this technique have been investigated. It has been partly thanks to a new scientific discipline, contemplative neurosciencewhich arose to study what changes occur in brain structure and function associated with long-term meditation practices and also with short-term mindfulness interventions.

The results of these investigations have allowed many of the aspects of meditation that had been excluded from the scientific dialogue to be taken up again.

How does meditation improve your health?

Thanks to the latest published scientific studies, and especially to a article on meditation and brain edited by him Department of Neurology at Stanford University (USA), it has been found that meditation induces three types of changes that rhave a positive impact on mental and physical health.

changes in the brain

The first change occurs in the anatomy of the brain, thus improving some of its capabilities. Specifically, it has been found that meditating allows certain areas of the brain to transform or growwhich enhances some of its functions.

Easier to memorize.

Many of the changes in the structure of the brain – what is known as neuroplasticity– that are induced by meditation improve the ability to learn new things and to memorize them. Specifically, it has been seen to produce a increased gray matter in the prefrontal areaa brain area related to working memory.

Body awareness is gained.

Other studies have found that meditators (regardless of the type of contemplation they practice) have developed the insula, a key brain region that regulates the body’s internal consciousness (breathing, abdominal sensations, heartbeat…). They also present alterations in the somatosensory cortex, which gives us external awareness of the bodysuch as touch or pain.

The practice of meditation seems to give more body awareness, more sensitivity.

Greater ability to reason.

Another area of ​​the brain that is modified when meditation is practiced on a regular basis is the frontopolar cortex. This area is related to higher cognitive tasks, such as reasoning or attention. According to research, meditative practices also produce changes in areas of the brain responsible for creativity.

behavior changes

Second, meditation has been shown to influence behavior. practice it regularly promotes a feeling of compassion, increases the ability to calm down, improves resilience and, in addition, favors mental health.

Less prone to depression.

The changes in the frontopolar cortex of which we spoke before have also been related to the ability to introspection.

This plays an important role in behavior and in mitigating psychiatric problems such as major depression.

Stress is reduced, empathy is increased.

Mindfulness has been shown to produce a increase in gray matter in the area of ​​​​the temporoparietal junction (related to empathy) and a decrease in the amygdala, which reduces stress.

Protects from aging.

Finally, meditate it rejuvenates the brain because it induces changes in its physiology.

Improved overall health.

The scientific literature has been describing how this practice modulates inflammation, enhances immunityawareness of the body and as a person, and has a wonderful anti-aging protective effect.

The risk of dementia is reduced.

The Tucson Foundation for Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention, in collaboration with the Mayo Clinicpublished a report with the benefits that were achieved by practicing meditation daily.

According to this report, mindfulness also leads people to feel more energeticreverts to epigenetics by improving the chemical marks that regulate genes, optimizes synaptic function (the communication of neurons), Reduces risk factors for the onset of Alzheimer’s protects the length of the telomeres (factor that influences longevity) and improves blood flow to the brain.

All those factors they rejuvenate the brain and extend your life.

The biological and physiological mechanisms of meditation have been known over time and are surprising.