Science-Based Health Benefits of Meditation

In recent years, many scientific studies have focused on the benefits of meditation on our brains. And the amazing thing is that each study attributes a “new” benefit to meditation. But are these benefits really new? Indeed, meditation has been practiced by our ancestors for centuries. Finally, science and new technologies only confirm the benefits of meditation on the brain. Meditation has a surprising variety of benefits for our neurons: preservation of gray matter, reduction of activity in the region of the brain linked to awareness of the “me” (and therefore of the ego), and improved connection between regions of the brain.

In this article, we have compiled the most interesting research on meditation.

All of them indicate that meditation produces measurable results on the most important organ in our body: the brain. The best part is that these physiological changes in the brain also have psychological benefits. Several studies have thus looked into the psychic benefits of meditation. They show that meditation relieves anxiety and depression. Generally speaking, meditation improves concentration and psychological well-being. 

Here are the 4 scientifically meditation for Brain proven by Art of Living Foundation:

Slows down the Aging of the Brain 

According to a study from the University of California (UCLA), which focused on aging, the brains of people who practice meditation for several years are better preserved than that of people who do not practice meditation.

Calms Brain Activity 

One of the most interesting studies in recent years, which was done by Yale University in the United States, found that meditation calms brain activity. Indeed, meditation decreases the tendency of our brain to wander from thought to thought and thus generate stress. And since wandering from thought to thought is one of the causes of people who are less happy, who ruminate and worry about the past and the future, meditation is a good remedy to feel better quickly. Several studies show that meditation can reduce the number of thoughts in the brain. As a result, you feel less stressed and calmer on a daily basis.

Improves Concentration 

It is not just children who are prone to concentration problems. Millions of adults have the same challenges whether or not they have ADD. This is why it is interesting to point out that one of the most important benefits of meditation is that it improves our ability to concentrate. In a recent study, researchers analyzed the effect of meditation on the performance of participants in an oral reasoning test. Only 2 weeks of meditation training was enough to improve the concentration and memory skills of the participants. This improvement is significant: the scores have indeed increased by 16%. Read more health benefits by Art Of Living Foundation.

Reduces anxiety and social phobia 

Many people learn about meditation to take advantage of one of its main benefits: stress reduction. Moreover, several studies confirm the validity of this approach.

Indeed, researchers at Stanford University have found that MBSR meditation allows changes in areas of the brain associated with attention. They also found that this form of meditation relieves symptoms of social phobia.

Help to overcome an “addiction” According to several studies, meditation acts directly on areas of the brain related to self-control. Therefore, it is a particularly effective technique in helping people overcome several types of addiction. In particular, one study looked at the effectiveness of meditation in helping people who want to quit smoking. Art of Living Foundation says, she compared the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation to that of smoking cessation programs. 

Is meditation worth trying? 

Of course, meditation is not a quick fix for all problems. But there is a great deal of evidence that indicates that it brings multiple benefits to people who practice it regularly. More and more people, and even large companies (Apple, Google, etc.), have thus integrated meditation into their daily program.

Harper Harrison

Harper Harrison is a reporter for The Hear UP. Harper got an internship at the NPR and worked as a reporter and producer. harper has also worked as a reporter for the Medium. Harper covers health and science for The Hear UP.