Meditation, More than Just a Way to Relax

Meditation often helps us in our daily pursuits. With as much stress as we deal with on our daily lives, it’s fair to say that meditation is a necessary action we need to engage in. So, does meditation really make that difference? If you ask a person considered an expert in meditation, they will say yes. Meditation is one of those actions that can’t really be seen so it can’t be qualified as any sort of treatment but there is something to be said for it according to diagnostic brain imaging.

There was a study conducted that showed that individuals that participate in mindful meditation for even a short period of time show changes in specific brain mechanisms. The changes shown in the study are in correlation with a reduction in anxiety. Meditation is not a fad, nor is it a theory that when practiced may or may not make a difference when put into practice. While meditation itself is not something that everyone practices, it’s obviously a beneficial practice.

Fazel Seidan PhD said the following: “what we’ve been able to do is to correlate, through imaging, changes in specific brain regions that are related to anxiety, even in a cohort of people with no anxiety or depression.” According to an article about the study, there were 15 healthy volunteers used, without a history of anxiety or depression. MRIs were performed before and after training sessions where the volunteers engaged in mindful meditation exercises.