Meditation Does Far More Than Calm Anxiety
Research findings and personal experiences show that meditation transforms brains and can improve health in multiple ways
I don’t know much about meditation, but
does. He has studied and practiced it for decades, and his insights fascinated me. I’m sharing excerpts from his far more thorough post.All of the words bordered by purple lines are quotes from Dr. Yildiz’s post.
We now understand that our thoughts, behaviors, and actions can indirectly improve brain function. This is where mindfulness and meditative practices become potent tools for boosting brain health, enhancing neurobiological performance, and sharpening cognitive function.
Through over three decades of mindfulness and meditation, I learned to leverage my thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical actions to positively impact the brain structure and improve cognitive abilities like working memory, procedural memory, attention, focus, task switching, intention, intuition, problem-solving, creativity, and decision-making.
I conducted countless experiments sensibly and methodically and even documented the distilled version … in a story titled How I Train My Brain Daily for Mental Clarity and Intellectual Productivity
Meditation Affects the Brain Physically
Let me start by explaining some key brain areas that meditation can affect. One important part of the brain is the cortex, which is made up of layers of neurons.
These layers help process what we see, hear, and feel, control how we move, and support higher-level thinking. …
Cortical thickness refers to how thick or deep the brain's outer layer (the cerebral cortex) is. This part of the brain manages important functions like attention, memory, perception, and language. While the thickness of the cortex differs from person to person due to genetics, age, and life experiences, thicker areas of the cortex are often connected to stronger cognitive abilities and better mental health.
While some thinning is normal as we age, too much thinning can be a warning sign of issues like Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. It can also show up in people with mental health challenges, such as depression or schizophrenia.
After citing multiple research studies, Dr. Yildiz summarizes the findings:
Many research studies show that meditation can increase cortical thickness in brain areas related to attention, sensory processing, and self-awareness. This effect is especially noticeable in older adults, suggesting meditation may help slow down age-related cortical thinning.
The thickening of these regions is linked to better attention control and improved memory. Meditation also supports neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize — and encourages neurogenesis, the growth of new neurons, particularly in the hippocampus, a critical area for learning, memory, and emotional balance.
By strengthening these brain regions, meditation enhances the connections between areas responsible for attention and memory. It also reduces stress, curbs mind-wandering, and promotes emotional regulation, all of which may help maintain cortical thickness and protect cognitive abilities.
Meditation Tips from Dr. Yildiz
Based on his experience of meditating several times a day for decades, Dr. Yildiz offers 12 wise suggestions, including these:
Start with short (5-10 minute) sessions
Make meditation a consistent part of your daily routine
Focus on your breath to anchor your attention
Explore different meditation techniques to find what works for you
Honor your well-being above all; meditation isn’t for everyone
As noted above, Dr. Yildiz’s original post provides more detailed information and links to multiple research studies. Read it and other outstanding articles in his “Health and Wellness” newsletter:
I have done a particular form of meditation since 1993 called Raja Yoga, practiced and taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. (He wrote a book called "Autobiography of a Yogi"). He had been trained in Raja Yoga ( also called Kriya Yoga), by Swami Sri Yukteswar. Yogananda was the founder the organization of Self Realization Fellowship in the the United States, and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India. Paramahansa Yogananda lived in organized Self Realization in the United States beginning in 1920 and he passed away in 1952. You can get Yogananda's lessons on How to Meditate from Self Realization Fellowship. Kriya Yoga has changed my life! It helps me leave the normal world behind daily, and recharge my brain, and heart with hope, peace, and with the "love of Jesus Christ." Yogananda had great respect and love for Jesus Christ's teachings...
There is a book that I would like to read by a Richard Davidson, Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry who began measuring Tibetan Monk's brainwaves. He studied eight long term Monk practitioners of Traditional Tibetan Meditation. I don't know the year or years he did this. He also wrote a book called "The Emotional Life of Your Brain, " by Richard Davidson and Sharon Begley, which I noticed in Amazon Books. I do not know how good that book is. I am intrigued and want to read this book.