How Meditation Changes The Brain

All I've been seeing lately is "Meditation this", "Meditation that". Apparently all the really successful people meditate and it's the key to success. There has been so much research put towards the benefits of meditation and I'm here to share it with you.

Meditation goes back to ancient times, but only recently has it started to be studied. We now know that there is actual changes in the brain that happens during regular meditation. Thanks to EEG, and fMRI's we're able to see these real changes in the brain and confirm its real life (not perceived) benefits!.

1. It slows aging in the brain

Studies show that people who meditate regularly have younger looking brains. This means that brains that meditate have less volume loss over time than those who don't meditate.

2. Meditation makes you happier and less stressed

When the minds wander, it creates stress in the body. Mindful meditation can actually help your mind stop wandering over time. Once your mind learns to stop wandering, it will be happier. It will no longer be worrying about day-to-day things or the future problems. If your brain does start to wander, it will correct itself by bringing you back to the present moment.

3. It will help relieve anxiety and depression

This ties in with the point above. Depression and anxiety are linked to constant worrying. If you can train your brain to live in the present, it will help you see the truth in life, and not the lies you're subconsciously feeding it. It also helps reduce social anxiety. This is due to that fact that it structurally changes the amygdala, which will is responsible for stress, fear, and anxiety. Meditation won't totally cure depression, but after enough practice, it can help lessen the severity of symptoms. (It also helps increase your mood by increasing arousal!).

4. It can help improve your memory

As stated above, there is structural changes to the brain after a few months of daily meditation. Your memory will improve, which can simultaneously help your mind retain new information. It's especially beneficial to meditate as a student, as this will help the brain absorb new material more easily. Did you know that students who meditate regularly score higher on tests?!

5. It helps with Attention Deficit Disorder

Whether you or a child you know struggles with attention problems, meditation is shown to help. This is especially helpful when it comes to school or work.

6. It helps beat addictions

Being that meditation helps rewire the brain, it helps people get over many different types of addictions. One study was done on smokers. They found that at the end of the study, participants who meditated daily had less relapses than those who didn't meditate. It's not to say that they didn't get cravings, but when they did, the participants who meditated were more easily able to ride out that craving until the feeling passed; something that the non-meditators had a very hard time doing.

7. It can benefit kids

Kids brains are still developing. If anyone will benefit the most from meditation, it's children. Whether it's meditation or yoga, practicing daily mindfulness can help reduce the stress of school work and peer pressure. Kids who meditate twice a day end up in detention less, and their GPA's and attendance increase.

Will you try it?!

Although meditation is not a magic pill, it does provide great benefits if practiced regularly. Many companies are now trying to incorporate meditation into the work day due to the proven benefits of mood, productivity, creativeness, and accountability.

Try meditation morning & night (or start small with just once a day) and see how it helps transform your life. Instead of reaching for your phone in the morning, try a meditation. Instead of scrolling Instagram during lunch, try a meditation. If you can take just a few minutes out of your day, you will start to feel (and see) the difference.

Try it out? Let us know! Tag us on Instagram @kppliving