Scientific evidence of the benefits of meditation at the brain level

SHA Wellness Clinic joins the celebrations of World Meditation Day with a compilation of various scientific evidence about the benefits that this practice can bring to the brain and overall health. Meditation is an easier and more rewarding practice than it sounds. Just a few minutes a day of meditation calms the mind, and improves speed, sharpness and dexterity. Sometimes just taking a quiet walk can be enough. 

A 2021 study published by BMC Psychology defines meditation as ‘a mind-body practice focused on the interactions between brain, mind, body and behaviour, containing four key elements: a quiet place with few distractions, a comfortable posture, a focus of attention and an open attitude’.

Multiple research and scientific studies have shown that the simple act of meditating, even for just 10 minutes a day, can significantly reduce brain activation in the regions that make the mind more likely to wander and take us out of the present moment. This means that meditating just a few minutes a day is enough to change some of the brain’s default patterns.

One of them is the pattern of wandering, our mind’s habit of never being fully present, and always wandering off into the clouds, which prevents us from being happy and enjoying the simple things in life, from eating a delicious meal to enjoying a friend. ‘The act of mental wandering seems to significantly diminish our well-being,’ explains Professor Bruno Ribeiro, head of the Cognitive Health Unit at SHA Wellness Clinic, adding that ‘meditation can be such a powerful tool precisely because it trains our mind to live a little more in the present,’ he explains.

A 2008 study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, which compared people who meditated for 8 weeks with those who did not, found that those who practised meditation were happier and reported higher rates of well-being in several areas of their lives. Other research, conducted in 2013 by the University of California showed that taking a meditation course increased test scores. ‘It increases concentration, helps improve memory and sustain it over time, and has several effects on physical health, including improving immune function and some markers of ageing,’ the authors noted.

Professor Ribeiro acknowledges that meditating can be difficult for some people, especially because we have very high expectations and want to achieve a blank mind from the very first sessions, and such a level is usually achieved after many hours of training. But the SHA Wellness Clinic expert believes that there are other ways to calm the mind and enter into very satisfying meditative states with similar benefits.

Walking would be one of these ways. ‘Walking in a conscious way, being here and now, can be transformed into a meditative walk. To achieve this, one has to abstract oneself from thoughts of the past and future and concentrate on the present. In this way, all the benefits of meditation can be achieved. That is, to become a neutral spectator of your life without having any emotions or judgements associated with it’. For many people who find it difficult to do a classical meditation, a walk is a good way to live in the here and now, he says.

Praying, says the professor, is also an activity that focuses the brain and brings it into a state close to meditation. ‘For the brain, the benefits of meditating and praying are similar. But praying works if it is done to give thanks and not to ask,’ he says. The explanation is that thanksgiving in the brain is associated with an abundance of alpha waves, which are more related to feelings of well-being.

Scientific studies are still trying to determine all the positive impacts meditation can have on health, but it is known to improve sleep, lower cholesterol and relieve pain.

People who practice stress reduction using mindfulness-based cognitive therapies, including meditation, are less likely to have negative thoughts or unhelpful emotional reactions when faced with stressful situations, says a 2015 review of several studies.

Meditation can help regulate the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for regulating some involuntary physiological functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and digestion.

Meditating is easier than you might think. You just need to take the first step and practice every day. A phone app, a guided meditation on YouTube, a meditation group, and of course a professional can help.

In his book ‘Total Meditation: Practices in Living The Awakened Life’ Deepak Chopra writes that “People are realising that meditation is more than just stress management”. He adds that regaining mindfulness is very good but that meditation also includes self-inquiry into consciousness, and learning to control the autonomic nervous system in a mindful way. So it improves relationships, emotions and social emotional intelligence. And these are all great benefits for personal life, well-being and health.