How do meditation and mindfulness influence the brain?

Meditation and mindfulness can alter brain structure and function, enhancing emotional regulation, attention, and self-awareness.

Meditation and mindfulness are practices that have been found to influence the brain in several ways. They are associated with changes in brain structure and function, particularly in areas related to emotional regulation, attention, and self-awareness. These practices can lead to increased grey matter density in the prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain associated with executive functions such as decision-making, attention, and self-control.

Research using neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has shown that mindfulness meditation can lead to changes in the brain's default mode network (DMN), which is active when the mind is at rest and not focused on the outside world. This network is often associated with mind-wandering and self-referential thoughts. Mindfulness meditation has been found to decrease activity in the DMN, suggesting that it can help reduce mind-wandering and improve attention.

Moreover, meditation and mindfulness can also influence the amygdala, a region of the brain involved in processing emotions. Studies have shown that these practices can decrease the size of the amygdala and increase connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. This suggests that meditation and mindfulness can help improve emotional regulation, reducing reactivity to emotional stimuli and enhancing the ability to manage stress and anxiety.

In addition, mindfulness practices have been associated with changes in the insula, a part of the brain involved in interoception - the sense of the internal state of the body. Increased grey matter density in the insula has been observed in long-term meditators, suggesting that mindfulness can enhance self-awareness and the ability to tune into one's body.

In summary, meditation and mindfulness can influence the brain in several ways, leading to changes in brain structure and function that can enhance emotional regulation, attention, and self-awareness. These practices can increase grey matter density in the prefrontal cortex, decrease activity in the default mode network, alter the structure and function of the amygdala, and increase grey matter density in the insula.