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Meditation – What is it and how does it affect our body?

What is meditation?

Meditation is a mental exercise in which you practice focusing your attention and awareness. It often involves focusing on something simple, like your breath, your body, or a sound, while letting thoughts come and go without reacting to them. The goal is to create a calm and focused state, and to gain better control over your thoughts and emotions.

Research shows that meditation can have a number of positive effects on both the brain and the body:

  • Reduced activity in the brain's “default mode network” (the area associated with rumination and self-focus)
  • Better self-control
  • Increased concentration and attention
  • Improved memory and learning
  • A calmer and more robust mental state
  • Better regulation of stress
  • Reduction of pain, especially in chronic conditions
  • Less inflammatory activity in the body
  • Strengthened immune system

Different types of meditation

There are many forms of meditation, but three types are particularly well studied:

1. Focused attention

Here you focus your attention on one thing, such as your breath, a sound, or a mantra. This can help improve concentration and reduce mind wandering, and is good for beginners.

2. Open attention

Here you observe what is happening in your mind, thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations, without judging or reacting. This can lead to better emotional regulation, increased awareness of your own thoughts, and reduced anxiety and worry.

3. Compassion Meditation (loving-kindness)

This form is about actively evoking feelings of kindness and consideration, first for yourself, then for others. This can reduce negative thoughts and feelings, increase empathy and compassion, and contribute to better emotional balance.

Meditation doesn't have to take a lot of time to be effective. Even a few minutes a day can contribute to better focus, less stress, and a more balanced everyday life. The most important thing is not to “get it perfect,” but to practice regularly. Over time, this can strengthen both mental health and the body's ability to handle life's stresses.

Sources

  1. Tang, Y. Holzel, BK, Posner, MI, 2015. The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature science reviews neuroscience: 16, 213-225.
  2. Taren, AA et al. Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: A randomized controlled trial, Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 10(12), pp. 1758–1768.
  3. Lazer et al. 2005. Long-term mediation associated with increased cortical thickness, Neuroreport: 16 (17): 1893-7.
  4. Goyal, M. et al 2014. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 174(3):357-68.
  5. Davidson et al. All 2003 . Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosom Med: 65(4):564-70.
  6. Lutz, A. et al. 2008. Attention regulation and monitoring in meditation. Trends in Cognitive science. doi: 10.1038/nrn3916.
  7. Hofmann, SG et al. 2011. Loving-childness and compassion mediation: Potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review. 361-7.

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