Psychology 101: The positive effects of meditation on the human brain (scientifically proven…)

 

The positive effects of meditation on the brain (scientifically proven...)

**Reviewed and approved by psychologist

Gema Sanchez Cuevas

Written by Edith Sanchez

(Hector Williams Zorrilla: The positive effect on the brain that comes from the consistent practice of mindfulness is scientifically known. Mindfulness meditation is studied and researched at the world's most prestigious universities, including Harvard University in The US. Mindfulness meditation or full attention is the best way to care, protect, stimulate and educate your brain positively).

—————————————————————

    Until just a few decades ago, meditation was seen as a practice for strange people, which had more to do with religion than well-being. Thanks to a greater dissemination of information and the open-mindedness of many sectors of the West, today we know that meditating is not necessarily a mystical activity, but rather a practice of encounter and harmonization in our body and mind. 

   The effects of meditation have been so positive that scientists around the world have made it the subject of research. It has been proven that it exerts great benefits on physical health and the balance of emotions. That is why today it is being used in various treatments.

     “Anyone who has practiced meditation knows how difficult it is to silence our “mental talk” in order to connect with our deepest, wisest and most intuitive mind”

-Shakti Gawain-

What does meditation do for the brain?

   According to Dr. Javier García Campayo, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Zaragoza, meditation increases some cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, and concentration. These effects can also be achieved through other intellectual activities such as reading and the so-called "mental games" (puzzles, word searches, etc.).

  The difference between meditating and playing brain games is that meditation (as well as reading) also has great effects on the emotional plane. Meditation manages to significantly reduce the symptoms of stress and depression. It allows people to feel more serene and gives them a feeling of greater happiness.

    Meditation places great emphasis on the present moment. It looks for a person to leave the past or the future and concentrate on the current moment, to fully experience it. This induces positive attitudes, since many of the neuroses have their origin precisely in the weight of what has already happened, or the uncertainty of what may come.  

     “Meditation teaches us to ignore distractions and focus our attention where we want to focus it”

-Daniel Goleman-

   With meditation the brain changes the way it works. There is a higher frequency in the production of Alpha waves and, after a period of practice, Gamma waves are generated. In the long term there are also changes at the level of neurotransmitters: less glutamate is produced, an element that favors nervous excitation. It has also been proven that greater neuronal connectivity appears.

   For all these reasons, it is not an exaggeration to say that meditation changes both the structure and the functioning of the brain, in addition to having benefits on the emotional plane.

Other benefits

    Alpha waves are characteristic of psychological states of tranquility and happiness. When the brain works in this frequency it is more difficult for you to get the flu, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. It also makes your entire immune system more resistant.

    In the early 1970s, some research was done in the United States, with a group of people who practiced meditation. In the 1990s these studies were repeated. In both cases it was concluded that the effect of this practice was highly healthy.

     That is why meditation has been incorporated into various medical and psychiatric treatments. It is mainly used to manage depression, anxiety, obsessive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain, recurring allergies.

   More recently, many doctors have begun to use meditation as a preventive practice, to ensure optimal health. It can be done at any age and in any kind of condition. No known contraindication.

**Credit: La Mente Es Maravillosa Magazine on psychology, philosophy and reflections on life. © 2012 – 2021.