Psychology Facts

▲ Meditation ▲

》 Meditation is a mental exercise that trains attention and awareness. Its purpose is often to curb reactivity to one's negative thoughts and feelings, which, though they may be disturbing and upsetting and hijack attention from moment to moment, are invariably fleeting.

》 Meditation has been shown to increase focus, reduce stress, and promote calmness. It can also help people recognize and accept negative emotions—especially when it is done in combination with mindfulness practices that keep people grounded in experiencing the present.

》 The brain isn't the only part of the body that improves with consistent meditation. A study published in the November 2012 edition of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes found that meditation can play a large part in improving heart health.

》 In mindfulness meditation, one turns their attention to a single point of reference, such as one's breath or bodily sensations, or a word or phrase known as a mantra. The practice has been shown to decrease distraction and rumination, make negative automatic thoughts seem easier to let go of, and promote greater enjoyment of the present moment.

》 Loving-kindness meditation directs one's focus toward developing feelings of goodwill, kindness, and warmth for others. It can help boost empathy and compassion, and curb charged responses to negative thoughts.

》 As with the case of stress reduction, meditation is able to reduce inflammation in the brain by limiting the production of cytokines. This leads to less stress and anxiety. It also encourages increased feelings of love and kindness in the brain.

》 Meditation leads to relaxation. This spurs the production of nitric oxide in the brain and reduces blood pressure.

》 Studies have found that meditation has played an important role in encouraging people to quit their addictions. One study looked at 19 adult alcohol-dependent graduates of an outpatient program. Fifteen of them underwent an eight-week meditation course. By the end of the study, 47% of the participants reported total abstinence

》 Here are just a few ways that mindfulness can be applied in positive psychology:

As a self-care tool for anyone who is interested—mindfulness can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, anytime!

As a stress reduction technique for students, people in high-stress jobs, and anyone dealing with anxiety.

As a way to boost employee wellness.

As a therapeutic tool for people struggling with depression or other mood disorders.

As a coping method and relaxation strategy.

In conjunction with yoga as a healthy habit for body and mind.

》 Neuroscientist Richard Davidson of University of Wisconsin has found that people who meditate regularly exhibit high levels of gamma wave activity. Such activity allows these frequent meditators better control of their thoughts and reactivity.

》 Mindful meditation has long been used by various populations around the world who claim that it can lead to improved memory. As it turns out, several studies have confirmed this is so.

》 Meditation can sometimes be more effective than sleep.

》 According to a study done by UCLA in 2012, those who routinely meditate for an extended amount of time have larger amounts of gyrification, that is folding of the brain's cortex, than the average brain. Increased gyrification means additional surface area of the brain, which the study found enhances neural processing, or decision making.

》 In a 2013 Psychology Today article, Dr. Rebecca Gladding asserts that regular meditation "loosens" the neural pathways between the brain's fear center and what Gladding refers to as the "Me Center." That's the spot in the brain which constantly reflects back to our conscious self.

》 According to a study done by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, there is a link between meditation-induced stress reduction and slowing certain neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's.

》 Here are a few tips and techniques to make sure you're getting the most of your mindfulness practice:

Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you're feeling intense emotions.

Notice—really notice—what you're sensing in a given moment, the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.

Recognize that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative thought patterns.

Tune into your body's physical sensations, from the water hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body rests in your office chair.

Find "micro-moments" of mindfulness throughout the day to reset your focus and sense of purpose (Greater Good Science Center).