One of the things I love most about meditation is the effect it has on your mind. That is why I have written posts like How Meditation Effects the Brain, Five Activities That Will Change Your Brain Chemistry, and Why Does Meditation Work? I am now going to discuss how meditation improves the mind. Here are five ways meditation makes you mentally sharper and improves your life.
Meditation Makes the Brain Function Better
As you make meditation a regular part of your daily routine it starts to have a profoundly positive effect on the brain. A 2013 article in Psychology Today “This is Your Brain on Meditation” discusses how regular meditation loosens the neural pathways between the brain’s fear center and what Dr. Rebecca Gladding calls the “Me Center”. This is where we reflect back on our conscious self. As these pathways loosen fear and anxiety start to diminish. Also, new positive pathways begin to form, increasing empathetic reactions.
Mediation Improves the Brain’s Neuroplasticity
Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin had discovered that people who meditate regularly have higher levels of gamma brain wave activity. In my post “Why Does Meditation Work” I discussed how the gamma state is when brain waves are at their most active. These increased levels of gamma waves improve the brain’s neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change structurally and functionally based on environmental ques. This means that those who meditate regularly are able to have more control over their thoughts and reactivity.
Meditation Increases Your Attention Span
Teachers have started to use meditation techniques in the classroom because it improves attention spans. A study found that a group of human resource employees, who meditated regularly, were able to stay focused on their tasks for longer periods of time. They were also able to recall details better than those who didn’t meditate. The reason why mediation is able to improve attention span is because it is geared toward focus and awareness.
Mediation Improves Memory
Several studies have proven that meditation can improve memory. One such study was done in 2005. It was conducted by Harvard Medical School and found the first evidence that meditation leads to increased cortical thickness in the brain. Six years later, Harvard conducted another study comparing the brains of those who mediated at least 30 min a day to those who didn’t. Those who mediated consistently had increased grey matter in the hippocampus. This is the where the greatest role in memory and learning takes place.
Meditation Makes You a Better Decision Maker
If you are indecisive meditation can help you make quicker decisions. A 2012 study conducted by UCLA found that those who meditate regularly have greater amount of gyrification. This is the folding of the brain’s cortex. Increased gyrification gives the brain a larger surface area. Larger brains have faster neural processing capabilities. Which means those who mediate consistently are able to make decisions faster.
As you can see mediation has some major effects on the brain that make it more productive. A more productive brain means a better you all the way around. When your mind starts to function better you start to improve your life is ways that are immeasurable.