How Meditation Changes the Brain
From PyschCentral
You’re at work trying to complete a task, but you’re finding it hard to focus. Your mind wanders to all the things you have to do after work: Pick up the kids, make dinner, do laundry, and somehow fit in time to exercise.
Then, when you finally focus back on the task at hand, you realize that it’s already 5 p.m.!
Now, you’re even more stressed and flustered, and you’ve missed your deadline completely.
Ruminating on all the things you need to do or should have done can hinder your performance at work, school, and at home.
Meditating for a few minutes might help rein in those wandering thoughts and help you stay focused throughout the day. But meditating can have an even bigger impact.
Meditation has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety, but research suggests it can also change parts of one of our most important organs – the brain.
What is Meditation?
Meditation is a tradition that has been around for centuries. It’s a powerful tool designed to train your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.
The goal of meditation is different for each person. Some meditate to reduce stress, while others use it to improve their concentration and memory.
How does Meditation Work?
People practice meditation for a variety of reasons. It can be used to make you more aware of your surroundings and yourself or to give you that much-needed break during the middle of a hectic day.
Meditation can provide many benefits, including:
- lowering blood pressure
- reducing stress
- managing anxiety
- controlling pain
- improving attention
- strengthening memory
- improving self-image
- enhancing self-awareness
- improving sleep
Meditation’s Effects on the Brain
Meditation has measurable effects on three areas of your brain:
- gray matter — involved in muscle control and sensory perception, including emotions, memory, speech, seeing, hearing, and decision making
- the prefrontal cortex — responsible for decision making
- amygdala — controls emotional response
- hippocampus — responsible for memory and learning.
Let’s Recap
Meditation can be done by anyone and anywhere – whether at work, home, at school, or even in the car.
You don’t need any special equipment or a gym membership.
Try out different styles of meditation to find the one that works best for you and fits your lifestyle.
Our lives are often so fast-paced that it can seem impossible to find the time and space to meditate, much less to even believe that you can clear your mind completely.
But all you need is a few minutes to get started and silence, and the benefits to your brain can last a lifetime.
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