It’s common knowledge that the brain is the most important organ in our body since it manages all the functions of the organ systems in our body. With the many duties it has to oversee, have you ever wondered how the brain functions during meditation? Nowadays, doctors and scientists have been constantly identifying the effects of meditation has on specific parts of the person such as the brain and all the systems in the body. They concluded that whenever the brain is trained to be calm and relaxed, it improves the person’s well-being which would also reflect on how they perform their tasks.
Positive effects of meditation on the brain
Countless studies have pointed out the numerous advantages that meditation could bring to the brain. In addition, most researchers emphasized that the emotional intelligence of individuals has improved. They became less judgemental and would often stop think about their opinion before sharing it publicly. When faced with issues, they would naturally stop to analyze the situation first before bursting out reactions that might only worsen it. Digging deeper into the inner effects in the brain, meditation could affect neural oscillations or the currents created when the neurons have received a transmitted message. These currents appear as some sort of waves which are classified into five types.
The first is gamma waves which are very much present during instances where our brain accepts numerous information or is in its highest level of activity. These types of waves are the fastest and could be difficult to measure accurately even when using machines because it is also the smallest among the brain waves. You can notice that gamma waves are present whenever you can concentrate properly especially when you’re entirely engaged in an activity, let’s say solving a problem. According to scientists, increasing gamma waves could be possible through meditation as well as practicing proper breathing exercises. Although there are many types of meditation currently, researchers still have to examine the best meditation technique that could produce many gamma waves at a single time. However, this doesn’t mean meditation is not reliable at all. It could still help reduce levels of anxiety and depression which lowers the number of gamma waves in your brain.
The next is the beta waves which are much larger than the gamma waves and is considered as the normal rhythm for those who are active because of their presence during the usual activities. Following are the alpha waves, and are bigger and slower than the beta waves. These waves usually occur when a person is in a calm state and serves as the pathway between the conscious and unconscious. This is where usually people accomplish things once at a time and are not in a rush. It is also associated with neutrality and idleness. Healthy production of alpha waves would generate mindfulness, good mental coordination, and efficiency.
Fourth, are the theta waves that appear much slower and larger which appear when we start dreaming. Being classified under slow activity, it is associated directly with daydreaming and fantasizing as well as an avenue where memories, emotions or feelings are stored. Furthermore, these waves are much likely to appear in situations where the person is in deep concentration like sleep and meditation. Lastly, we have the delta waves which are the largest and slowest of the brain waves. Higher levels of delta waves lead to an increase in awareness of the physical world, therefore, if you are in a very deep dreamless sleep, these waves are much more likely to occur in your brain.
Although it’s not much of an importance to familiarize all these types of brain waves, the studies conducted on examining the effects meditation brought to the brain waves are interestingly amazing. This just proves that meditation not only relaxes our body but also increases the performance of the brain to its optimal level. Meditation indeed is good for the body and it should be part of people’s regular activities.
Improved well-being
Just as previously mentioned, meditation assists in performing the functions of the brain in a more efficient and relaxing manner. These functions include the memorization and familiarization of information and exhibiting emotions such as compassion and empathy. On the other hand, the part of the brain that handles stress and anxiety called the amygdala begins to decrease in size as an effect of meditation while the frontal lobe and happiness neurotransmitters like dopamine increases in size and number. There are just too many positive effects caused by meditation which would also be reflected in the person’s well0being.
Thinking about meditating? Now is the perfect time to rely on different resources on meditation so that you will know what techniques are effective for you. Take the chance to improve your well-being by finding the time to concentrate on your improvement. This change should start within yourself and soon you will reap the benefits of your hard work.
Think of this as a way of loving yourself because the first person who would be doing it for you would also be you. But this does not mean you only have to do it alone. You can encourage and motivate your friends and family to do the same and you can have meditation as your bonding time to enjoy together. What’s even better is that this could also be a way to improve your relationships with relatives and friends as well as grow closer together as time goes by. So what are you waiting for? This is the time!
