Did you Know?
Many research studies have confirmed the positive outcomes associated with mindfulness practices. The results are quite impressive, both in terms of impact as well as in the number of ways we can improve the quality of our life.
In 2008, a review of 52 exemplars studies found that cultivating a more mindful way of being is associated with less emotional stress, more positive states of mind, and better quality of life. In addition, mindfulness practice can influence the brain, the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones,the immune system, and health behaviors, including eating, sleeping and substance use. Scroll down to learn a little bit more about just a few of theses positive benefits.
Deepen Your Self Understanding and Improve your Relationships
By using mindfulness practices to focus your attention, you literally change the structure of the brain, re-sculpting the neural pathways that underlie a sense of personal well-being. We improve the quality of our relationships when we improve our ability to perceive the inner workings of our minds. As we become increasingly intimate with the inner workings of our mind, we also develop our ability to understand others. This vital skill is the foundation for building deeper and more satisfying relationships.
For more information reference the work of Daniel Siegel, MD a researcher and psychiatrist at UCLA
Reduce your Stress & Improve your Concentration
Changes in brain physiology during meditation have been documented by SPECT imaging showing that the left parietal lobe was deactivated during meditation. Consistent with this finding, participants reported a sense of transcendence or detachment. The subjects also reported an increased sense of focus and capacity for concentration. The results offer evidence that you can enhance brain function and reduce stress by practicing meditation just a few minutes a day.
For more information see Amen, Kalsa & Newberg's study published in the journal of Nuclear Medicine Communications, 2009.
Help for Addiction & Cravings
Research studies have shown that mindfulness practices, which emphasize an attitude of acceptance toward thoughts of using substances, have actually led to a reduction in substance use. In contrast, attempts to suppress thoughts about using substances may actually lead to an increase in substance use.
Mindfulness Meditation and Substance Use in an Incarcerated PopulationSarahBowen et all Universityof WashingtonDespite the availability of various substance abuse treatments, alcohol and drug misuse and relatednegative consequences remain prevalent. Vipassana meditation (VM), a Buddhist mindfulness-basedpractice, provides an alternative for individuals who do not wish to attend or have not succeeded withtraditional addiction treatments. In this study, the authors evaluated the effectiveness of a VM course onsubstance use and psychosocial outcomes in an incarcerated population. Results indicate that after releasefrom jail, participants in the VM course, as compared with those in a treatment-as-usual controlcondition, showed significant reductions in alcohol, marijuana, and crack cocaine use. VM participantsshowed decreases in alcohol-related problems and psychiatric symptoms as well as increases in positivepsychosocial outcomes. The utility of mindfulness-based treatments for substance use is discussed.Psychology of Addictive Behaviors Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association 2006,Vol. 20, No. 3, 343–347 0893-164X/06/$12.00 DOI: 10.1037/0893-164X.20.3.343
Can Meditation Make Your Brain Stronger?
"If we want to build up strong muscles, we assume we’ve got to hit the gym and lift some weights. But what if we want to strengthen our brains? Try meditation, according to a recent study. In the study, published in the journal NeuroImage, UCLA neuroscientist Eileen Luders and her colleagues compared the brains of 22 people who had practiced various forms of meditation—for anywhere from five to nearly 50 years—with the brains of 22 people (of similar ages and education levels) who had never practiced any kind of meditation. Using a brain imaging technique that allowed them to view changes across the entire brain, the researchers looked to see if any particular brain regions were bigger in one group or the other.They found that two brain regions were bigger in the meditators than in the non-meditators, while non-meditators showed no advantage in any brain region. The regions that had greater volume in the meditators have both been linked to our ability to manage our emotions; one of them, the hippocampus, located in the temporal lobes of the brain, near the ears, has also been found to play a role in our skills of attention. Additionally, the authors found evidence that meditation may actually improve the hippocampus’ ability to grow new neurons into adulthood, which may be particularly important to keeping our brains sharp as we age. Previous studies have shown that an active meditation practice is associated with a stronger ability to regulate one’s behavior and emotions, and with reductions in physical and psychological symptoms of illness. With this study, Luders and her colleagues have found further evidence for these links, down to the neural level. They note that more research in this area is necessary before they can draw any definite conclusions. But they argue that if effects of meditation are linked to the particular brain changes they observed, then meditators are strengthening the brain regions necessary for the “singular abilities and habits to cultivate positive emotions, retain emotional stability, and engage in mindful behavior."
Would you like additional information?
Tanya T. Wiser, LCSW
license #17621
Phone: (650) 269-8126
