Meditation why it works

Long-time psychotherapist Dr. Mind strength is one of the most empowering tools we can employ to impact and improve all aspects of life. There are five major categories of brain waves, each corresponding to different activities. Meditation enables us to move from higher frequency brain waves to lower frequency, which activates different centers in the brain. Gamma State: 30 - Hz This is the state of hyperactivity and active learning. Gamma state is the most opportune time to retain information.

This is why educators often have audiences jumping up and down or dancing around -- to increase the likelihood of permanent assimilation of information. If over stimulated, it can lead to anxiety. Beta State: 13 - 30Hz Where we function for most of the day, beta state is associated with the alert mind state of the prefrontal cortex. This is a state of the "working" or "thinking mind" -- analytical, planning, assessing and categorizing.

Alpha State: 9 - 13Hz Brain waves start to slow down out of thinking mind. We feel more calm, peaceful and grounded. We often find ourselves in an "alpha state" after a yoga class, a walk in the woods, a pleasurable sexual encounter or during any activity that helps relax the body and mind. We are lucid, reflective, have a slightly diffused awareness. The hemispheres of the brain are more balanced neural integration.

Theta State: 4 - 8Hz We are able to begin meditation. We begin to move from the planning mind to a deeper state of awareness often felt as drowsy , with stronger intuition, more capacity for wholeness and complicated problem solving.

A similar study showed that people who regularly practiced meditation performed better on a visual task and had a greater attention span than those without any meditation experience Moreover, one review concluded that meditation may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying, and poor attention Even meditating for a short period each day may benefit you.

One study found that meditating for just 13 minutes daily enhanced attention and memory after 8 weeks Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive motion of the fingers to focus your thoughts. Studies in people with age-related memory loss have shown it improves performance on neuropsychological tests Furthermore, a review found preliminary evidence that multiple meditation styles can increase attention, memory, and mental quickness in older volunteers In addition to fighting normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia.

It can likewise help control stress and improve coping in those caring for family members with dementia 28 , The improved focus you can gain through regular meditation may boost your memory and mental clarity. These benefits can help fight age-related memory loss and dementia. Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward yourself and others. Metta , a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward yourself.

Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness externally, first to friends, then acquaintances, and ultimately enemies. One study in adults randomly assigned to a program that included loving-kindness meditation found that these benefits were dose-dependent. In other words, the more time people spent in weekly metta meditation practice, the more positive feelings they experienced Another study in 50 college students showed that practicing metta meditation 3 times per week improved positive emotions, interpersonal interactions, and understanding of others after 4 weeks These benefits also appear to accumulate over time with the practice of loving-kindness meditation Metta, or loving-kindness meditation, is a practice of developing positive feelings, first toward yourself and then toward others.

Metta increases positivity, empathy, and compassionate behavior toward others. The mental discipline you can develop through meditation may help you break dependencies by increasing your self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviors Research has shown that meditation may help people learn to redirect their attention, manage their emotions and impulses, and increase their understanding of the causes behind their 35 , One study in 60 people receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder found that practicing transcendental meditation was associated with lower levels of stress, psychological distress, alcohol cravings, and alcohol use after 3 months Meditation may also help you control food cravings.

A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating Meditation develops mental awareness and can help you manage triggers for unwanted impulses. This can help you recover from addiction, manage unhealthy eating, and redirect other unwanted habits.

Nearly half of the population will struggle with insomnia at some point. One study compared mindfulness-based meditation programs and found that people who meditated stayed asleep longer and had improved insomnia severity, compared with those who had an unmedicated control condition Becoming skilled in meditation may help you control or redirect the racing or runaway thoughts that often lead to insomnia.

A variety of meditation techniques can help you relax and control runaway thoughts that can interfere with sleep. This can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep and increase sleep quality. Your perception of pain is connected to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions. Some research suggests that incorporating meditation into your routine could be beneficial for controlling pain.

For example, one review of 38 studies concluded that mindfulness meditation could reduce pain, improve quality of life, and decrease symptoms of depression in people with chronic pain A large meta-analysis of studies enrolling nearly 3, participants concluded that meditation was associated with decreased pain Meditators and non-meditators experienced the same causes of pain, but meditators showed a greater ability to cope with pain and even experienced a reduced sensation of pain.

Meditation can diminish the perception of pain in the brain. This may help treat chronic pain when used to supplement medical care or physical therapy. Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function. With a teacher, you can start meditating with just one 25 minute session. Meditation is a journey, not a destination. You can practice it anywhere. Mindfulness, for example, is a sister to meditation. With mindfulness, the goal is to put all of your focus and attention on the present moment — no matter what is happening.

In this way, mindfulness can actually be practiced anywhere, anytime. Guided meditations and imagery-based meditations will often have you focus on something. Or, you could focus on the visualization of a peaceful setting, like a beach landscape or a beautiful mountain view. There are many different types of meditation. Here is a list of some of the most common types:. Sitting meditation.

Walking meditation. Mindfulness meditation. Guided meditation. Sleep meditation. Transcendental meditation. Mantra meditation. Nature meditation. Movement meditation. Instead, incremental progress will be made with continued practice. Starting meditation may seem daunting at first. In fact, many people mistakenly imagine that by incorporating meditation into their lives, they must become professional Yogis who are never distracted by anything and are always calm and focused.

Anyone, anywhere can incorporate this practice into their life. It is for all types of people, and it's easy to get started with a quick Unwind Your Mind streaming session.

In just 25 minutes, you can start to see real results from meditation. Clint teaches Yoga, Pilates, breath, and mediation to students and teachers all over the world. Prior to joining the wellness world, CJ as his friends call him, started his career as a MBS derivative trader and portfolio manager on Wall St.