What is mindfulness?
The practice of mindfulness originates from various meditation traditions – in particular Buddhism, where it has been used for thousands of years as a pathway to achieving a deeper understanding of the self and the world. It involves quietly observing our experience in the present moment – both signals coming from the body and emerging thoughts or sensory impressions.
The modern form of mindfulness was popularised in the West by Jon Kabat-Zinn, among others, who in the 1970s. developed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme. Also, at the turn of the 20th century, the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) emerged, which combines elements of cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness practice. Its aim is to support patients in dealing with negative thoughts and emotions.
Mindfulness practice includes both formal and informal activities that support mindful observation of reality. Through specific sets of exercises (mindful movement, breathing, body scanning or self-observation), we achieve a state of awareness in which we focus on the present moment, noticing our thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations without judging them. In this way, we get rid of habitual reactions or judgements and thus experience life as it is, accepting all its shades. This, in turn, can support us in learning to regulate our emotions, reduce anxiety and the tendency to worry, both through a change at the level of identity (adopting an active, healthy attitude to life) and through the impact on our brain function.
How does mindfulness affect brain function and structure?
One of the key aspects of our mental health is the so-called neuroplasticity of the brain, i.e. the ability of this organ to adapt and reorganise its structures and functions in response to experience, learning and environmental factors. This includes, among others, the formation of new synaptic connections, the strengthening or weakening of existing ones and even the formation of new neurons in specific areas of the brain. It is a fundamental mechanism that allows us to adapt to change, learn new skills, and recover functions lost through injury.
It turns out that regular meditation and mindfulness practices can also be the basis for lasting, positive changes in the brain, as confirmed by numerous studies conducted since the 1950s. Today, thanks to neuroimaging methods, we can see with increasing precision the changes that occur in the brain through mindfulness practices. These concern, among other things, its structures, the volume of the grey matter or the building of connections in neuronal networks. Let’s have a closer look at them.
- Structural changes in the brain
A 2011 study found that meditation practices such as kindness meditation or compassion meditation can lead to improved mood and reduced negative emotions, but that’s not all! With the help of neuroimaging, it has been confirmed that such practices also alter the activity of brain areas involved in emotional processing and empathy and therefore – literally – affect our ability to cope with emotions [2].
Another 2016 review study [3] found that people who meditate for long periods of time display increased activity, connectivity and volume in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with, among other things, processes of self-control and self-awareness. These changes suggest that meditation can strengthen areas of the brain that are key to stress and emotion management.
- Increase in the volume of the grey matter
A 2010 study [4], published in the Psychiatry Research journal, looked at changes in the volume of the grey matter in the hippocampus (i.e. the area responsible for memory and learning) in a group of a dozen participants in an 8-week MBSR programme who had not previously practised meditation. An increase in grey matter density in the left hippocampus was observed in those individuals. According to the researchers, this is particularly interesting because the hippocampus is also key in regulating the stress response – people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder often show a reduction in the volume and density of the grey matter in this very area.
- Changes in neuronal networks
The practice of meditation can also lead to changes in functional connections between different areas of the brain. The aforementioned 2016 study [3] showed that the practice of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programme contributes to increased connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. This, in turn, may contribute to better emotion management and reduced reactivity to stressful stimuli, as the amygdala is the part of the limbic system responsible for, among other things, building emotional associations and social bonds.
Mindfulness practice as support in therapy
Neuroplasticity is a key mechanism that enables the brain to adapt to new conditions and challenges. Mindfulness practice and meditation are powerful tools to support these processes, affecting brain structure and function. They allow not only to reduce stress and better regulate emotions, but also to develop and strengthen cognitive and emotional abilities.
Due to its neuroplasticity-promoting effects, meditation and mindfulness are increasingly being used as part of therapy to treat disorders such as depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. Regular practice of these techniques can not only alleviate the symptoms of these disorders, but also promote healthy brain development, improve cognitive function and increase a sense of well-being.
References:
[1] https://www.polski-instytut-mindfulness.pl/polski-instytut-mindfulness/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3176989/
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278262616301312?via%3Dihub
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/