Meditation is a trendy topic these days and you may have heard it can do everything from strengthening your immune system to lowering your risk of heart disease. But what if meditation could do something more? What if meditation could slow brain aging too?
Meditation has been around for thousands of years. There’s evidence to suggest it improves various aspects of health, for example, heart health, by lowering blood pressure and relieving stress. Some preliminary research finds that it may delay brain aging too, but why?
Meditation is a Stress Reliever
Meditation is a way to introduce peace and calm into your daily life. Spending time in a meditative state has been long known to increase relaxation and enhance mental health. Studies now reveal that meditators’ brains perform better with cognitive challenges relative to those who don’t meditate.
What accounts for the calming effects of meditation? Some studies show that meditation lowers cortisol, a stress hormone that can worsen anxiety and depression. The drop in cortisol may explain some of the brain health benefits of meditation. Scientists believe that when your body has a high cortisol burden, it negatively affects cognitive function.
Another way meditation supports healthy brain function is by relieving stress and lifting mood. Research shows people who are depressed have a higher incidence of cognitive issues, including dementia. By increasing mindfulness and engaging the mind in the present, regular meditation may reduce worry and rumination.
Meditation’s role in managing stress matters because studies correlate depression with a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia. So, meditation and becoming more mindful may help ease the symptoms of mental health disorders and potentially slow cognitive decline. Meditation isn’t a substitute for professional mental health care for depression, but it can be part of a holistic treatment plan.
Can Meditation Change Brain Composition?
Some studies also show that meditation increases gray matter in a portion of the brain called the cortex. The cortex is a large area of the brain devoted to higher-level functions like thinking, reasoning, and consciousness. When you look at a map of the brain, the cortex takes up most of the space. Gray matter consists of neurons that carry nerve impulses and information from the brain to the rest of the body. Since meditation is linked with a boost in gray matter, it may also lead to improvements in cognition and memory.
Is there scientific proof of meditation’s brain benefits? Although there aren’t many studies looking at meditation’s brain health benefits, there are some preliminary results that look encouraging. An 18-year study of Buddhist monks found that daily meditation delayed brain aging of the monks by an average of 8 years relative to a control group who didn’t meditate.
Another study that compared 50 adults who meditated to 50 found those who engaged in meditation had more folds or gyrations on the outer portion of their brains, consistent with cognitive benefits.
Meditation Enhances Sleep Quality
Another way meditation may improve brain health is by helping you sleep more blissfully. Getting high-quality sleep and enough of it supports a healthy brain too. Poor quality sleep and not sleeping enough increase the stress hormone cortisol, which negatively affects brain health and brain aging. Meditation improves insomnia symptoms and can help you get a better night’s sleep.
One type of meditation, mindfulness meditation, is especially effective for improving sleep quality and preventing insomnia. At its core, mindfulness meditation is about focusing the mind on what is happening now, rather than dwelling on the past or ruminating about the future. It redirects the mind to the present. You can practice mindfulness with your eyes closed or open, in a quiet room, or in nature. Some people even meditate as soon as they awaken in the morning before getting out of bed.
Mindfulness meditation teaches your mind how to focus on the present and on your current state, like your breathing, to bring about a relaxation response and calm your mind. Through mindfulness, you learn to tune out distractions in a way that leads to more peaceful and restorative sleep. It could lead to more pleasant dreams too!
Sleep Matters for Brain Health
Why is sleep so important for brain health? It’s when you drift off to sleep that channels in the brain called g-lymphatics clear misfolded proteins from the brain. As you enter the deeper stages of slumber, your brain activates a clean-up mechanism that removes damaged proteins through the g-lymphatics. Removing these proteins is important for brain efficiency and for keeping your brain healthy.
Sleep is the ultimate reboot and restart for your brain. Having spent the day thinking and planning, your brain needs a rest before tackling fresh challenges the next day. Meditation is like a reboot for rumination too. It teaches you to engage with the present moment so that worries are pushed to the periphery.
With meditation, you’re not restricted by location or circumstance. You can meditate while sitting in an easy chair, lying on a bed, or even when you’re riding in a car or bus. (But don’t do it if you’re driving) It offers a mental break from a hectic day and a chance to recenter your mind. You’ll emerge from a meditation session more relaxed and focused.
The Bottom Line
Meditation is an important part of a lifestyle designed for brain health, along with good nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. As research shows, it may be beneficial for preserving portions of your brain involved in memory and cognitive function and for boosting mental health. Through meditation, you become more proficient at staying in the present and at managing stress.
Meditation alone isn’t a magic bullet and the cognitive benefits of meditation need more research, but meditating is a way to calm your mind and body in a world that’s often stressful and chaotic. Stress isn’t good for your cortisol level or your brain. So, keep exercising, eating right, and getting quality sleep, but make time for relaxation and meditation too. It’s all about balance.
References:
- “Meditation and Mental Health | Psychology Today.” 17 Jul. 2019,
- “Meditation: In Depth | NCCIH.” https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-in-depth.
- com/us/blog/balanced/201907/meditation-and-mental-health.
- “Exploring how the thalamus contributes to cognition ….” 11 May. 2021, https://www.sainsburywellcome.org/web/blog/exploring-how-thalamus-contributes-cognition.
- Kessing LV. Depression and the risk for dementia. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2012 Nov;25(6):457-61. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e328356c368. PMID: 22801361.
- Hölzel BK, Carmody J, Vangel M, Congleton C, Yerramsetti SM, Gard T, Lazar SW. Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Res. 2011 Jan 30;191(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006. Epub 2010 Nov 10. PMID: 21071182; PMCID: PMC3004979.
- “Meditation: In Depth | NCCIH.” nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-in-depth.Nagesh Adluru, Cole H. Korponay, Derek L. Norton, Robin I. Goldman & Richard J. Davidson (2020): BrainAGE and regional volumetric analysis of a Buddhist monk: a longitudinal MRI case study, Neurocase, DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2020.1731553.
- “Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are ….” 22 Apr. 2020, mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858.
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