Although meditation has been around in both the East and the West for thousands of years, in the scope of this article, the term is referred to the Eastern tradition.
Meditation, with a history in the East spanning over five thousand years, only entered Western consciousness following The World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago, USA, in 1893. The event marked the very first time that had the chance to learn directly from Eastern spiritual teachers.
Since this pivotal moment, meditation has swiftly gained respect and popularity in the West. A number of Western teachers have emerged to keep bringing these Asian traditions to Western students. Combining with their own philosophy, they have helped formed another distinct Western meditation tradition. Prominent individuals such as Ram Dass, Jack Kornfield, and Robert Frager have been instrumental in this cultural exchange.
More impressively, following the waning of the psychedelic era in the 1960s, meditation has been adopted as an alternative means of exploring the unconscious mind.
One may ask, what is it about meditation that has so quickly and profoundly impacted Western lifestyles? Research on this subject has been ongoing since the 1950s, yielding remarkable findings. This article will delve into eight such findings, to scientifically support this simple yet profound spiritual practice.
To obtain the following findings, most research was conducted under an Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program spanning 8-10 weeks, with weekly sessions lasting 2-2.5 hours, and some included a one-day retreat. Let’s explore which benefits of meditation were found in those studies below.
1. Meditation can improve immune system
Reports showed that there was an increase in influenza antibodies, IgG, and a decrease in TNF-alpha in meditators’ blood samples.
TNF-α
Or tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a cytokine, a type of protein that cells use to communicate with each other. It plays a crucial role in the immune system by helping to regulate immune cells and mediate inflammation.
As part of the body’s immune response, TNF-α is involved in the acute phase reaction, which is a rapid immune response to infection, injury, or other inflammatory stimuli. However, an overproduction of TNF-α can lead to chronic inflammation and has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including autoimmune disorders. For this reason, regulating TNF-α level becomes a key focus in treatments for these conditions. The reduction in TNF-α suggests a potential role for mindfulness in sustaining its healthy levels with minimal drug intervention1.
IgG
Or immunoglobulin G, is the most abundant type of antibody in the body’s fluids. It plays a vital role in the immune response by identifying and neutralizing foreign objects like bacteria and viruses.
The increase in IgG levels following the MBSR program, as observed in the study, suggests that meditation might have a positive impact on the immune system, potentially enhancing its ability to fight off infections2.
2. Meditation may increases melatonin production
Melatonin, a hormone known for regulating sleep-wake cycles, also possesses antioxidant properties and has been observed to inhibit cancer growth at certain stages of cell proliferation. It is produced in higher quantities during the night and is sensitive to light exposure.
Interestingly, psychological factors such as stress levels can also influence its production. A study by Massion, Teas, Wertheimer, and Kabat-Zinn in 1995 highlighted a significant increase in melatonin levels among individuals practicing meditation, suggesting a psychophysiological benefit of mindfulness practices3.
3. Meditation may alter brain grey matter density
The practice of meditation has been associated with various changes in the brain, particularly in its grey matter density.
Research indicates that meditation can lead to an increase in grey matter density in areas of the brain involved in regulating stress responses and emotions. This is significant because these changes may correlate with improved performance in managing stress and emotional well-being.
Additionally, meditation has been linked to decreased grey matter density in regions associated with depression and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), suggesting a potential therapeutic effect for individuals with these conditions.
Furthermore, enhancements in brain density have been observed in regions related to self-relevance, conscious self-awareness, and social cognition, which could influence one’s self-esteem and social interactions.
Notably, studies have found that the hippocampus, a key area for memory and learning, tends to be larger in individuals who meditate regularly. This suggests that long-term meditation may help mitigate the age-related loss of hippocampal grey matter, potentially offering cognitive benefits over time4.
4. Help manage anxiety and depression
Studies have indicated that regular meditation practice can lead to a reduction in mind-wandering, which is often associated with the default mode network (DMN) of the brain.
The default mode network (DMN) is a fascinating and complex brain network that is active when a person is not focused on the outside world. It’s involved in a variety of internal mental processes such as daydreaming, recalling memories, and contemplating the future. Interestingly, the DMN is also linked to self-referential thought and the consideration of others’ perspectives. Disruptions in the DMN have been associated with several neurological conditions such as anxiety and depression, highlighting its importance in overall brain function.
Notably, meditation has been observed to decrease the activation of the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex/preuneus5, which are integral parts of the DMN. Furthermore, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), has shown promise in reducing the risk of depressive relapse, with effects lasting up to 60 weeks6.
These findings suggest that meditation and mindfulness practices could play a significant role in mental health interventions, potentially improving quality of life and offering a non-pharmacological approach to managing depression and anxiety.
5. Meditation may enhance emotional resilience
Research indicates that meditation can help reduce the impact of negative stimuli7, leading to a decrease in emotional reactivity. This is particularly beneficial in managing responses to stress and promoting a sense of calm.
Furthermore, improvements in emotional information processing have been observed, with enhanced memory recall of positive words and an overall increase in wellbeing8.
Additionally, meditation has been shown to significantly alter the experience of anger, with both novice and experienced practitioners reporting changes in the intensity and frequency of angry feelings9. This suggests that meditation can be a valuable tool for emotional self-regulation, regardless of one’s experience level.
6. Meditation may improves sleep
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine10 reported that participants who engaged in a mindfulness awareness program experienced less insomnia and improved sleep compared to those who received sleep education alone.
The Sleep Foundation also highlights meditation as a beneficial practice for sleep, noting its ability to alleviate stress and prepare the body for rest by promoting a relaxation response. This relaxation response counters the stress response, which is often characterized by increased heart rate and tension, making it harder to fall asleep. By calming the mind and body, meditation can thus serve as a valuable tool in the pursuit of better sleep and overall well-being.
7. Meditation may influence body awareness and reduce pain
Research indicates that mindfulness training can significantly reduce pain and anxiety after just three days of 20 minutes a day of practice11. This is particularly relevant for individuals with chronic conditions, such as spinal cord injury, where mindfulness-based interventions have been developed to improve outcomes. In addition, the systematic review of mindfulness meditation for chronic pain also revealed a small decrease in pain.
The story of Tibetan monks meditating in cold conditions further illustrates the profound capabilities of the human body influenced by meditation12. In experiments, monks using the g Tum-mo technique could raise their body temperatures to dry wet sheets in a frigid room, showcasing the mind’s ability to control the body in extreme conditions. Harvard researcher Herbert Benson has studied this phenomenon and suggests that such advanced forms of meditation can uncover capacities that aid in treating stress-related illnesses.
8. Meditation may improve creativity and problem solving
The two primary types of creative thinking, divergent and convergent, are both crucial for innovation and discovery. Divergent thinking, characterized by a free-flowing, spontaneous, and intuitive approach, is essential for generating novel ideas. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, involves narrowing down these ideas to find workable solutions. Meditation supports these cognitive processes in several ways13.
Open monitoring meditation, or mindfulness, encourages a state of awareness where thoughts and sensations are observed without judgment. This form of meditation has been linked to improved divergent thinking, as it allows the mind to wander and explore possibilities without constraints. By reducing the tendency to filter or dismiss unconventional ideas, mindfulness meditation can lead to a greater volume and variety of creative outputs.
Focused Attention meditation, such as mantra or focused breath practices, helps cultivate convergent thinking. It enhances the ability to concentrate and direct mental resources towards a specific problem or task. This type of meditation trains the mind to maintain focus amidst distractions, which is vital when sifting through ideas to identify the most promising ones.
Research suggests that meditation can also improve cognitive flexibility, allowing individuals to view problems from multiple perspectives. What is even better is that they can also make novel connections between seemingly unrelated concepts.
Additionally, by reducing stress and anxiety, meditation creates a more conducive environment for creativity to flourish. A calm and relaxed mind is more receptive to the incubation of ideas and the ‘aha’ moments that often signal a breakthrough in creative endeavors.
Final words
In conclusion, meditation offers a non-invasive, cost-effective, and accessible means to enhance our health and wellbeing.
Meditation predates the technology that allows us to study it scientifically by thousands of years, however, learning about these science-approved benefits may give us even more motivation to meditate. These eight benefits of meditation are just the start. I believe that the more research is conducted, the more of meditation’s benefits will be recognized.
In the mean time, we can just simply start practicing today. If you don’t know where to begin, I suggest you practice the grounded meditation script that I wrote in this post: What is Grounding Meditation and How to Practice It. I hope you will enjoy the meditation just like I did!
References
- Rosenkranz MA, Davidson RJ, Maccoon DG, Sheridan JF, Kalin NH, Lutz A. A comparison of mindfulness-based stress reduction and an active control in modulation of neurogenic inflammation. Brain Behav Immun. 2013;27(1):174–184. ↩︎
- Moynihan JA, Chapman BP, Klorman R, et al. Mindfulness-based stress reduction for older adults: effects on executive function, frontal alpha asymmetry and immune function. Neuropsychobiology. 2013;68(1):34–43. ↩︎
- A.O. Massion, J. Teas, J.R. Hebert, M.D. Wertheimer, J. Kabat-Zinn, Meditation, melatonin and breast/prostate cancer: Hypothesis and preliminary data ↩︎
- Luders, E., Cherbuin, N., & Kurth, F. (2015). Forever Young(er): Potential age-defying effects of long-term meditation on gray matter atrophy. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, Article 1551. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01551 ↩︎
- cf Boccia 2015 which showed increased activation in resting state of meditators ↩︎
- Willem Kuyken, PhD, Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse – PMC (nih.gov) ↩︎
- Tang 2015, TheNeuroscience of mindfulness meditation ↩︎
- Douglas Roberts-Wolfe, Matthew D. Sacchet, Elizabeth Hastings, Harold Roth, Willoughby Britton: Frontiers | Mindfulness Training Alters Emotional Memory Recall Compared to Active Controls: Support for an Emotional Information Processing Model of Mindfulness (frontiersin.org) ↩︎
- Fennell AB, Benau EM, Atchley RA. A single session of meditation reduces of physiological indices of anger in both experienced and novice meditators. Conscious Cogn. 2016 Feb;40:54-66. doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2015.12.010. Epub 2015 Dec 31. PMID: 26748026. ↩︎
- Mindfulness meditation and improvement in sleep quality and daytime impairment among older adults with sleep disturbances: a randomized clinical trial – PubMed (nih.gov) ↩︎
- Zeidan F, Vago DR. Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016 Jun;1373(1):114-27. doi: 10.1111/nyas.13153. PMID: 27398643; PMCID: PMC4941786. ↩︎
- Meditation changes temperatures — Harvard Gazette ↩︎
- Frontiers | Mindful creativity: the influence of mindfulness meditation on creative thinking (frontiersin.org) ↩︎
