Imagine mindfulness meditation as the brain's fitness centre, where mind muscles need
ongoing care and attention. However, instead of aiming for washboard abs, the benefits of the ‘work out’ show up over time in the way that we think and feel, and ultimately the way we show up in our everyday lives. There are now multiple scientific studies that have provided evidence for these benefits, particularly related to stress, anxiety, and depression.
Stress: The Modern Epidemic
First off, stress isn't just feeling a bit frazzled; it's the body's version of sounding the alarm bells. It can often go unchecked and unnoticed then later manifest itself in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms. Many aspects of modern life are inherently stressful, which is why finding effective stress-management tools is now more important than ever.
Seminal work led by the University of Massachusetts found that an 8-week meditation course significantly reduced levels of stress in individuals experiencing mood disturbance and chronic pain. Similar findings have been found among non-clinical groups, with one study comparing meditation to relaxation training among students. While both interventions proved effective in tackling stress, meditation was found to be superior at improving levels of focus and reducing ruminative thinking.
Anxiety: The Uninvited Guest
Anxiety is like that unwelcome guest at the party who dominates the conversation given half the chance. Meditation allows us to observe this guest without necessarily getting caught up in all the “what ifs”.
Studies have found 8-week meditation courses to be effective in the treatment of Generalised Anxiety Disorder; a condition characterised by persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of daily life. With time, meditation can even reduce the reactivity of a region in the brain known as the amygdala, which is responsible for triggering the body’s stress response and processing fear-based emotions.
Depression: The Lingering Cloud
Depression can often feel like a cloud that refuses to lift. Mindfulness meditation, with its gentle focus on the present, can help prevent people from getting stuck in negative thought patterns that often lead to worsening mood.
Research from Johns Hopkins University sifted through nearly 19,000 meditation studies and found strong evidence that meditation can help alleviate depression, particularly in those who have experienced it previously. It can also provide people with tools to help prevent it from returning. One large study found that for some individuals, meditation could be just as effective as taking regular antidepressants in preventing depressive relapse.
In a world where we're often told to push harder, do more, and think faster, mindfulness meditation reminds us that it's okay to hit the pause button. Not only has this practice stood the test of time, but it now stands validated by science as a viable intervention for managing common mental health challenges we may all face from time to time.
References
Desbordes, G., Desbordes, G., Negi, L., Pace, T., Wallace, B., Raison, C., & Schwartz, E. (2012). Effects of mindful-attention and compassion meditation training on amygdala response to emotional stimuli in an ordinary, non-meditative state. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00292.
Goyal, M., Singh, S., Sibinga, E. M. S., Gould, N. F., Rowland-Seymour, A., Sharma, R., ... & Haythornthwaite, J. A. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357-368.
Hoge, E., Bui, E., Marques, L., Metcalf, C., Morris, L., Robinaugh, D., Worthington, J., Pollack, M., & Simon, N. (2013). Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: effects on anxiety and stress reactivity.. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 74 8, 786-92 . https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.12m08083.
Jain, S., Shapiro, S., Swanick, S., Roesch, S., Mills, P., Bell, I., & Schwartz, G. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive states of mind, rumination, and distraction. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33, 11-21. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15324796ABM3301_2.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1982). An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: Theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry, 4(1), 33-47
Kuyken, W., Warren, F. C., Taylor, R. S., Whalley, B., Crane, C., Bondolfi, G., ... & Dalgleish, T. (2016). Efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in prevention of depressive relapse: an individual patient data meta-analysis from randomized trials. JAMA psychiatry, 73(6), 565-574.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2002). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: A new approach to preventing relapse. Psychiatric Services, 53(5), 1230-1232.
Comments