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Meditation doesn’t just help you relax—it changes your brain. It lowers stress by shrinking the amygdala, improves focus by strengthening the prefrontal cortex, and reduces overthinking by calming the default mode network. This video breaks down the science behind these changes and explores the best types of meditation for different benefits.
References
Scientific References:
1. Meditation reduces the size and activity of the amygdala, decreasing stress reactivity.
Taren, Adrienne A et al. “Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial.” Social cognitive and affective neuroscience vol. 10,12 (2015): 1758-68. doi:10.1093/scan/nsv066
2. Meditation strengthens the prefrontal cortex, improving emotional control and impulse regulation.
Hölzel, Britta K et al. “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.” Psychiatry research vol. 191,1 (2011): 36-43. doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006
3. Meditation reduces default mode network (DMN) activity, lowering rumination and overthinking.
Brewer, Judson A., et al. “Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 108, no. 50, 2011, pp. 20254-20259.
4. Meditation lowers cortisol levels, reducing chronic stress.
Tang, Yi-Yuan et al. “Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 104,43 (2007): 17152-6. doi:10.1073/pnas.0707678104
5. Meditation increases heart rate variability (HRV), improving resilience to stress.
Nijjar, Prabhjot Singh et al. “Modulation of the autonomic nervous system assessed through heart rate variability by a mindfulness based stress reduction program.” International journal of cardiology vol. 177,2 (2014): 557-9. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.08.116
Disclaimer: All of the information on this channel is for educational purposes and not intended to be specific/personal medical advice from me to you. Watching the videos or getting answers to comments/question, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. If you have your own doctor, perhaps these videos can help prepare you for your discussion with your doctor.
Biggest challenge. Trying to recreate experiences
Thank you very much. You explained everything I wanted to know about meditation very well in this video. Also the three different kinds of meditation I was not sure of. Thanks again. ❤
Since I’ve been meditating, I have been so much more emotionally stable & resilient. I need it like I need air or water. The biggest challenge? Making time for it. Not finding time, but realizing that I have plenty of time during the day that is wasted that I could be using to meditate.
Given what I learned in this video, it’s no wonder I was such a mess without it! Thank you for the easily-digestible knowledge!
Transcendental meditation truly changed my life. I am so grateful that my job started offering it after a very traumatic event that affected a lot of us. It’s been almost 4 years now and I still do it daily. For anyone who suffers with depression, anxiety, and C-PTSD (coming from a childhood trauma survivor) please know that if you’ve been in survival mode for a long time, it will take time to retrain your brain. It took me several months before I was able to get comfortable with meditation. Now I can’t go a day without it or I’ll feel a little off.
I have anxiety breathlessness at times. So when I try to sit meditate by focus on my breath, it feels difficult because after doing it the breathlessness happens🙂
Like I am doing meditation to reduce this anxiety breathlessness but because of doing it this thing starts happening🤦♀️.