The term ‘mindfulness’ gets a lotta play these days, but what does it actually mean?
If you’re wondering about this trendy buzzword, you’re not alone. And yes, it’s way more than pseudoscience or make-believe. Believe it or not, properly applied mindfulness actually changes the neurochemistry and structure of your brain.
Pretty wild, huh?
So let’s not delay. Let’s get right into the real science of mindfulness and what it can do for you!
Neuroplasticity is your brain’s ability to ‘rewire.’ In other words, it can adapt and change throughout your entire life, even forming new neural connections that are totally unexpected. Thanks to neuroplasticity, many individuals with brain injuries are finding new hope.
And mindfulness can help. Research indicates that daily mindful practices such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork, actually make your brain more adaptive. In one study, just eight weeks of meditation increased the amount of gray matter in participants’ brains. This, in turn, was linked with improved learning and memory.
Pretty cool, right?
We zip around on our smartphones and devices, check our emails and messages, and are constantly bombarded with stimuli.
This is where mindfulness comes in.
Research shows that mindfulness can sharpen your cognitive functioning in two important ways: focus and attention. Through mindfulness, you are essentially focusing on the present. What this does is allow you to prolong your attention span, prevent distractions, and improve productivity.
Interestingly, in some studies, functional MRI scans actually reveal very real changes. When participants went through mindfulness training, they exhibited higher levels of activity in their anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which helped them boost attention and cognitive performance.
RELATED: Mindfulness: How It Can Help You Stress Less
If you’ve ever been really stressed, you know what it’s like. You’re exhausted, your memory is poor, you can’t focus, you don’t feel upbeat – it’s a drag!
But what if mindfulness could help alleviate all that anxiety and depression?
According to research on mindfulness meditation, the daily practice of this is linked to decreased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. As a result, meditation practitioners show reduced cognitive decline over time. They also show increased activity in their prefrontal cortex, which makes decision-making and emotional regulation possible.
Are you someone who can handle tough situations?
Do you get worked up easily, or can you take most things in stride? Do you find yourself turning to unhealthy foods, vices like alcohol and drugs, or other excesses when you’re stressed?
Whether it’s unhealthy risk-taking, impulsive behaviors, or anything else, we all have different levels of emotional regulation. Fortunately, mindfulness can make a world of difference. In fact, studies indicate that regular mindfulness allows participants to better manage negative stimuli.
Two regions of the brain, the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, show increased connections when mindfulness is regularly practiced. Because these regions are associated with emotional regulation, the benefits couldn’t be more obvious.
We’ve already talked about the benefits of mindfulness on mental health, but let’s go even deeper. In one meta-analysis from JAMA Internal Medicine, nearly 50 studies showed that mindfulness interventions can significantly reduce anxiety, depression, and physical pain/discomfort. Research also indicates that patients show fewer ‘relapses’ in their depressive episodes when practicing mindfulness.
Overall, mindful initiatives can both increase satisfaction and contentment while lowering negative emotions, feelings, and attitudes. A win-win!
RELATED: Introducing Mindfulness in Your Life
Last but not least, is the effect on compassion and empathy.
While mindfulness makes people feel better, it also allows people to make others feel better. In other words, you’ll make a more positive impact on the lives of others, one important step at a time.
This happens for various reasons. Firstly, you’re more present, so you’re more likely to relate and empathize. Secondly, mindfulness is all about soaking up the moment, so what better way to do that than by spending quality time with others?
Research backs this up, showing how kindness, empathy, and compassion are increased in specific brain regions through mindfulness.
And at its core, this is what makes mindfulness so powerful. It not only changes your brain chemistry and activates your brain, but it also changes your entire outlook on life. In time, with a little daily practice, some fellow mindful friends and family, and a positive attitude, it’s easy.
But more than anything, it’s truly enjoyable.
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