Does Meditation Really Helps You Have a Healthy Brain?
Developing mindfulness through meditation
The practice of developing mindfulness through meditation is easily accomplished in several different ways. Simply put, it is being aware of where your own conscious mind sits. What comes into focus may either be unpleasant or pleasant.
However, as you work through this inward journey with non-judgmental awareness, you will find that you are able to tap an inner peace that already exists within you, regardless of whether you tend to label it as positive or negative. This inner peace, which can enhance your well-being as well-being, increases your capacity for compassion as well. You can begin by focusing your awareness on your breathing. Notice the changes in your body as you deepen your breath. Feel your heart rate, your muscles relax, as your mind transcends physical and mental limitations.
By 14-Weeks Meditation
By fourteen weeks, during which time you complete a meditation course tailored to your specific needs, you will have experienced the greatest improvements in your ability to control your stress response as well as your attention span. You will also have seen that you feel calmer and more centered. As your brain works more efficiently, increasing your gray matter volume, the efficiency of your neurotransmitters will increase as well. These improved neurochemistry results will improve the overall functioning of your brain, thus improving your well-being. Your emotional responses will become less stressful as well.
During the last eight weeks of your initial meditation training, we will observe how you are doing and notice any improvements in mood or attitude. Your mood will have improved dramatically as you have practiced the breathing exercises, day in and day out. Also, your awareness of how you feel about yourself and others will have increased, resulting in increased confidence. You will recognize that your meditative efforts are paying off by helping you maintain healthy relationships with others and improving your sense of well being.
Empathy and compassion are also areas that you will find improved when you have meditated for four to six weeks. This is because your prefrontal cortex, which is primarily responsible for your cognitive awareness, has also been enhanced. As you can see, the benefits of meditation on your emotion regulation are quite remarkable. In fact, your prefrontal cortex is responsible for your sense of both empathy and compassion.
By 24 Weeks Meditation
By twenty-four weeks, the meditation process will have made it easy for you to attend to your emotional and physical needs, which are the root causes of most physical illness and discomfort. You will have developed greater self-awareness as well as greater mindfulness. Because your mindfulness is increased, it will be easier for you to focus your attention when you need to. This will have positive implications for your well-being long into your life.
Another positive impact of meditation on brain health is the increase in grey matter volume. The more grey matter volume in your brain, the better chance you have of improving your cognitive functions and reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Grey matter volume is associated with having a high level of brain activity. In other words, the more grey matter volume in your brain, the more cognitive functions you can perform on a regular basis. And the more cognitive functions you can perform on a regular basis, the happier you will be!
Meditation does not only affect the way you feel, but it may also affect the health of your brain. Through meditation, the brain’s oxygen supply is increased, giving it an optimal environment to function properly. This increased oxygen supply, as well as increased grey matter volume, will give you a healthy brain that lasts longer than those who do not meditate.
