9 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Stretch Everyday

Not many people consider stretching to be a form of exercise, probably because it is something we do a lot without apparent effort, unlike strength training or aerobics. The effects of stretching aren’t all that apparent either; it doesn’t help you break a sweat or lose mega pounds. Stretching doesn’t give you six-pack abs or release growth hormones (HGH) known to have many fitness benefits. However, this relatively gentle form of exercise can keep you staying healthy and fit and is good for both your body and mind. 

1. Stretching increases flexibility

Sports trainers have always insisted that athletes give much importance to stretching, both before and after training sessions. That’s because stretching increased the flexibility of the body and reduced injuries in the field. Cats know that it is not ‘nine lives’ that help them land on their feet, but their great flexibility. And how do they keep their body flexible but by stretching it every now and then in between their long siestas.  In fact, you will see all animals stretching at one time or another during the day. 

2. Stretching exercises help lower blood sugar levels

Stretching definitely makes you more flexible, but the number one reason to stretch actually comes from an exciting new study which has found that it reduces blood sugar levels. You might already know that intense exercise increases insulin production and the utilization of the hormone to push glucose from the blood into tissues.

Contrary to expectations, a 30-second stretch and hold routine has been found to be just as effective in lowering glucose levels in the blood. Surprisingly, the effect doesn’t come from increased insulin production, but from capillaries in the muscle tissue opening up, facilitating the movement of glucose into the cells.

People with diabetes have a perennial problem with high blood sugar either because their pancreas gland is not producing insulin, as in Type I Diabetes, or because their insulin production has reduced over the years, as in Type II Diabetes. In people with insulin resistance, the hormone is present, but it cannot be utilized due to the insensitivity of insulin receptors.

Elevated sugar levels can damage blood vessels and nerves and adversely affect almost all other organ systems of the body, severely damaging kidneys, liver, heart, and the nervous system. Diabetes is rated as the no. 7 killer, but it is an underlying cause of many other potentially fatal diseases, including high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke.  

High blood glucose level is not a problem exclusive to diabetics. In non-diabetics, high carbohydrate diet can cause high blood sugar for 1-2 hours after a meal. Although their insulin production will eventually bring down the sugar levels, frequent episodes of elevated blood sugar can do almost as much damage as full blown diabetes.

Elevated blood sugar can also cause overproduction of insulin, which gradually desensitizes the insulin receptors, resulting in insulin resistance. This can set into motion a series of metabolic problems that can potentially lead to Type II Diabetes.

Stretching helps reduce blood sugar by increasing the flexibility of the blood vessels supplying the muscles, which in turn allows more blood flow to the muscle tissue where the glucose can be utilized.  

3. Stretching helps reduce high blood pressure and its ill effects

Blood pressure is the force exerted on the arteries as the blood gets pumped through them. There may be several reasons such as obesity, diabetes, mineral imbalances, and stress hormones that may elevate a person’s blood pressure above the normal of 120/80.

The stress-busting effect of gentle, slow-paced stretching exercises can contribute directly to the lowering of blood pressure. It is not surprising since we already know that the stress hormone cortisol can raise blood pressure.

Increased pressure on the arterial walls damages them and makes them stiffer. But stretching can counteract the artery-stiffening effect of hypertension and protect you from many life-threatening conditions associated with high blood pressure, including atherosclerosis, kidney failure, and heart disease.

4. Regular stretching routine can reverse atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is another progressive disease condition which, like diabetes, has a wide-ranging effect on several organ systems. It starts with the buildup of plaque on the inner walls of the arteries that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to different organs and tissues of the body such as kidneys and heart muscle.

Plaque consists  mainly of cholesterol and calcium, and their accumulation on the arterial walls results in the narrowing of these blood vessels. This naturally reduces the blood flow to the respective organs, lowering their efficiency. For example, atherosclerosis in the coronary artery supplying the heart muscles can result in partial blocks that causes heart pain or angina, or a complete block that can result in a heart attack.

Atherosclerosis in the carotid artery that carries blood to the brain increases the risk of stroke. Narrowing of peripheral arteries reduces the blood supply to the hands and legs, causing pain and numbness. When renal arteries are affected, chronic kidney disease develops, which eventually culminates in kidney failure.

Besides narrowing the lumen of the blood vessels, atherosclerosis stiffens the arteries. We have seen that stretching exercises can increase the flexibility of blood vessels and improve blood flow. It has also been observed that regular practice can gradually reduce the plaque in the affected arteries.

5. Stretching exercises keep the muscles healthy

Muscles develop or atrophy based on the use and disuse theory. Those muscles we work more often become well developed while the least used ones tend to breakdown. When you sit around for extended periods, your thigh and calf muscles and glutes remain inactive, while certain other muscles in the lower back and around the knees become overstrained and sore. Stretching can prevent muscular atrophy of the glutes and other underused muscles and relieve pain in the strained ones.

We have seen how stretching improves blood circulation to the muscles. With increased blood supply comes extra oxygen and other nutrients to the muscles. Removal of metabolic waste from the tissues also becomes more efficient.

6. Stretching can increase the range of motion (ROM) of joints

Muscles are attached to the bone joints by tough, yet flexible, tendons. A similar type of tissue between the bones in a joint allows joint flexibility. Unless these tissues are kept in good condition with frequent stretching movements, the connective tissue protein collagen weaves a network of fibers. It causes them to stiffen up, reducing their capacity to remain flexible. When that happens, the range of motion (ROM) of the joints becomes greatly reduced. Stretching helps break up the collagen network and keeps the tissues flexible, allowing greater ROM.  

Aging naturally stiffens the tissues and reduces ROM, but in diabetic people, high blood sugar levels cause collagen to become glycated, forming a tougher, much less flexible tissue. That is one reason why ‘frozen shoulder’ is a common problem in diabetics. Along with aerobic exercises and resistance training, stretching exercises hold extra importance for diabetics.

7. Stretching helps correct structural imbalances and improves posture

Our body has a bilateral symmetry in the musculoskeletal framework, and the S-shaped curvature of the spine helps with balance. When we repeatedly do tasks that cause imbalances, such as carrying weight––a baby or a shoulder bag––on one side, some muscles gets over stretched while their counterparts remain contracted. The same thing happens when we use one hand or one leg exclusively for heavy and repetitive work or activity.

Similarly, when we spend a lot of time crouched in front of the computer screens, our shoulder muscles overstretch inwards, while the chest muscles remain contracted. You can see the opposite condition in pregnant women who bend backward in an effort to balance the weight of the enlarged tummy.

Stretching exercises help relieve the tension in both the overstretched and  contracted muscles and restore the structural integrity of the body.  

8. Regular stretching keeps your back safe

Back problems can be triggered by lifting heavy weights or by sudden twisting movements, especially in those who have not been maintaining the flexibility of their spine with sufficient stretching activities.

The vertebrae that form the spine are held in place by the surrounding muscles. 23 pairs of vertebral discs made of cartilaginous tissue keep the bony vertebrae separated from each other and from the spinal cord that runs through the spine. Their slightest displacement can injure the spinal cord, resulting in mild to acute pain.

Lack of exercise can make the cartilage tissue stiff and inflexible. When that happens, sudden twisting and straining can cause tears in the cartilage. Sitting for long hours without stretching makes the spine stiff and cause backache. Tight hamstrings also can cause low back pain.

Stretching exercises involving bending and rotational movements help strengthen the core muscles surrounding the spine and keep the discs flexible. Exercises stretching the hamstrings as well as getting up from the seat every 20-30 minutes for a few minutes of general stretching can keep your back in good condition. And don’t wait for any back pain to get you started on this. 

9. Stretching improves mental health

We’re not stretching the facts here, but people who do stretching exercises regularly report improvement in sleep quality, mood, and self-esteem. Don’t dismiss it as subjective data because there are plenty of sound scientific reasons to support their claim. For one, stretching triggers the release of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter associated with positive feelings and good sleep. Dopamine can improve attention, learning and memory too.

The positive effects stretching have on blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and general cardiovascular health also can improve mental wellbeing because the above conditions are associated with depression and mood swings.

Stretching should be ideally done at an easy pace, accompanied by correct breathing techniques. A stretched position should be held for a minimum of 20-30 seconds to derive optimum results. Yoga and Pilates can be good stretching routines, but make sure that you involve all muscle groups, repeating it 4-5 times a week.

This article originally appeared on naturallivingideas.com and was written by Sierra Bright.

10 Ways Your Body Changes When You Start Drinking Enough Water

The research is clear: Staying hydrated is one of the healthiest habits you can adopt. Here are all the ways your body—and brain—get better when you chug, chug, chug.

You'll have more energy

The cells throughout your body need water to function, which is why we can all use tips on getting more water into your diet. "Water is a basic need for cellular health," says Ronald Navarro, MD, orthopedic and sport medicine surgeon at Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center in Harbor City, California. "Cells contain water and are surrounded by water. In dehydration, cell membranes become less permeable, hampering the flow of hormones and nutrients into the cell and preventing waste products that cause cell damage from flowing out." When that's happening throughout your body, your energy is sapped, and fatigue can take over, according to a review of hydration research published in the journal Nutrition Review.

How much water do you need to boost energy? Depending on who you ask, the exact amount varies. Dr. Navarro points to the most agreed-upon recommendation of six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. This could change though, depending on the climate you live in and the type of lifestyle you lead. "Some adults may need more or less, depending on their overall health, including if they have certain illnesses, take specific medications and more. It also depends on how much they exercise and the level of intensity, and how hot and dry the weather is," he explains. If you're interested to know how much water your body is hankering for, talk to your primary care doctor.

Your memory will improve

Your brain is hugely dependent on fluid to work properly. All those synapses and neurons need liquid to fire properly. According to research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, one of the most reliable predictors of decline in memory and mental performance is dehydration. And yet, according to Dr. Navarro, some polls estimate that upwards of 75 percent of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration. And that number worsens in summer: "We see the rate of dehydration increase in the summer and fall when temperatures are higher and perspiration is more pronounced," he says. If you're concerned you're among the dehydrated masses, here are the signs of dehydration.

Your focus will increase

Ever feel like you have no control over your attention span? Your mind just wanders no matter how hard you try to focus on the task at hand? Drink a big glass of water and watch what happens: According to researchpublished in the journal Nutrients, mild dehydration interferes with brain processing and breaks down the ability to focus. Just like sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, making time to sweat it out in your favorite workout class or log miles on your nearby running path, water is one of the most essential needs of your body. In fact, since we're made up of so much water, it makes sense why we would constantly need it to replenish, cleanse and feed our system.

You'll be stronger and faster

Ever feel sore during a workout, even though you didn't exercise the day before? You can check out these home remedies for sore muscles, but you should also know that those aches and pains or the difficulty you experience when trying to lift a heavier weight or push through that extra mile can be due to dehydration, and not your lack of strength. Research suggests that even a 2 percent drop in hydration can cause significant losses in strength and motivation while increasing feelings of fatigue. Dr. Navarro says that when we take in the right amount of water for our bodies, our muscles become more relaxed, which increases energy and maximizes our performance.

You'll slim down by eliminating mindless snacking

Ever find yourself eying the ice cream in your fridge late at night or taking a sampling of your kid's Goldfish, even though you know better? Instead of thinking you have hunger pains, reconsider that you're simply thirsty. Dr. Navarro says that more often than not, people mistake hunger for thirst, and that if you downed some water instead of those junk foods, you would feel just as full. "Proper hydration can serve as an appetite suppressant and help with weight loss or weight management," he notes.

Your digestion becomes reliable

Though there's no magical number of times you should move your bowels, it's definitely true that your bowel movements can offer real insight to your health. And if you struggle with consistency and often feel bloated or uncomfortable, you probably need to chug that water bottle ASAP. "People who drink enough water usually have regular bowel movements. Hard bowel movements or constipation can be a sign that you aren't getting enough water," Dr. Navarro says.

Your skin is more radiant

Ever go for a spa treatment—like a massage or facial—and your therapist makes a point to remind you to drink some water instead of the champagne you're eyeing? That's because skin can benefit greatly from hydration and for some, clear up your skin or make it look younger. (If you're looking for more ways to beautify your skin, try these tips.) "Our skin, the largest organ in our body, relies on water to produce new cells and give us that glow. Our skin also needs water do its job of regulating the body's temperature," Dr. Navarro says. No question: According to research, our skin contains 30 percent water which adds to plumpness and elasticity—vibrancy, in other words.

You'll need fewer calories

JENIFOTO/SHUTTERSTOCKWe're always looking for simple ways to cut calories, right? A new study involving more than 18,000 adults from the University of Illinois found that when people increased their daily water intake by one to three cups (on top of the four they drank on average), they ate less: Their food intake dropped by as much as 205 calories a day. In other words, drink a couple more glasses of water each day and you could shed two pounds a month—no dieting or extra time at the gym required!

According to Dennis Cardone, DO, chief of primary care sports medicine at NYU Langone Orthopedics, drinking water before—and during—meal fills you up faster, displacing the desire and need for additional calories. "Drinking water before and during a meal can decrease appetite and assist in weight loss," he notes. Choosing foods with a high-water content will also help: Many fruits and vegetables have a high water content, so they can provide additional ounces of water without you having to drink anything. Dr. Cardone recommends watermelon, cucumber, tomatoes, grapes and cherries.

You'll run cooler

When we exercise, our bodies cool off by sweating," says Dr. Navarro. "As we perspire, we lose necessary body fluids. If we do not replace these fluids, we become dehydrated. This makes it difficult to sweat and cool down, which can result in a heat injury," he explains. In hot weather, it's important you know the signs of heat stroke. If you're looking for easy ways to stay hydrated during exercise, check out this trendy solution from SMITH + STARR. Co-founders Chelsea Alexander and Fallyn Smith, were inspired to create a bag that offers a hydration solution, so they wouldn't have to lug around a water bottle while commuting in their home city, San Francisco, or while going hiking or camping. Their bag, The Conway, is the first ever cross-body handbag that doubles as a hydration pack. It looks like a bag you'd take while running errands or while out with your friends, but it contains a removable water pouch that holds 17 ounces and a tube for easy hydration right from the shoulder strap.

You'll be in a better mood

Even dropping 1-2 percent below optimal hydration can start wrecking your mood, according to research from the University of Connecticut. That's barely low enough to feel thirsty, and yet at that level of dehydration the moods of the women in the study soured and they were more likely to experience headaches and fatigue. So drink up, says Dr. Navarro: If you get tired of drinking good 'ole fashioned H20, consider upping your hydration game by making your 'brew' sparkling or flavored. Water with bubbles offers the same benefits of regular water, and added fruit can make the negative, tasteless sensation of water more interesting.

this article originally appeared on rd.com and was written by Lindsay Tigar 

Anatomy of the Brain - Cerebral Cortex Function

The cerebral cortex is the thin layer of the brain that covers the outer portion (1.5mm to 5mm) of the cerebrum. It is covered by the meninges and often referred to as gray matter. The cortex is gray because nerves in this area lack the insulation that makes most other parts of the brain appear to be white. The cortex also covers the cerebellum.

The cerebral cortex consists of folded bulges called gyri that create deep furrows or fissures called sulci.

The folds in the brain add to its surface area and therefore increase the amount of gray matter and the quantity of information that can be processed.

The cerebrum is the most highly developed part of the human brain and is responsible for thinking, perceiving, producing and understanding language. Most information processing occurs in the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobesthat each have a specific function. These lobes include the frontal lobes, parietal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes.

CEREBRAL CORTEX FUNCTION

The cerebral cortex is involved in several functions of the body including:

• Determining Intelligence
• Determining Personality
• Motor Function
• Planning and Organization
• Touch Sensation
• Processing Sensory Information
• Language Processing

The cerebral cortex contains sensory areas and motor areas. Sensory areas receive input from the thalamus and process information related to the senses.

They include the visual cortex of the occipital lobe, auditory cortex of the temporal lobe, gustatory cortex and somatosensory cortex of the parietal lobe. Within the sensory areas are association areas which give meaning to sensations and associate sensations with specific stimuli. Motor areas, including the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex, regulate voluntary movement.

CEREBRAL CORTEX LOCATION

Directionally, the cerebrum and the cortex that covers it is the uppermost part of the brain. It is superior to other structures such as the pons, cerebellum and medulla oblongata.

CEREBRAL CORTEX DISORDERS

A number of disorders result from damage or death to brain cells of the cerebral cortex. The symptoms experienced depend on the area of the cortex that is damaged. Apraxia is a group of disorders that are characterized by the inability to perform certain motor tasks, although there is no damage to motor or sensory nerve function. Individuals may have difficulty walking, be unable to dress themselves or unable to use common objects appropriately. Apraxia is often observed in those with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disorders, and frontal lobe disorders. Damage to the cerebral cortex parietal lobe can cause a condition known as agraphia. These individuals have difficulty writing or are unable to write. Damage to the cerebral cortex may also result in ataxia. These types of disorders are characterized by a lack of coordination and balance. Individuals are unable to perform voluntary musclemovements smoothly. Injury to the cerebral cortex has also been linked to depressive disorders, difficulty in decision making, lack of impulse control, memory issues, and attention problems.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information on the cerebral cortex, see:

• Functional Divisions of the Cerebral Cortex
• Cerebral Lobes

DIVISIONS OF THE BRAIN

• Forebrain - encompasses the cerebral cortex and brain lobes.
• Midbrain - connects the forebrain to the hindbrain.
• Hindbrain - regulates autonomic functions and coordinates movement.

This article originally appeared on thoughtco.com and was written by Regina Bailey

The Big Brain Benefits of Meditation

Science proves meditating restructures your brain and trains it to concentrate, feel greater compassion, cope with stress, and more.

Yoga citta vritti nirodhah.

Yoga is the ending of disturbances of the mind.

—Yoga Sutra I.2

Nothing is quite as satisfying as a yoga practice that's filled with movement. Whether you prefer an intense and sweaty vinyasa practice, a gentle but deliberate Viniyoga practice, or something in between, all systems of hatha yoga provide a contented afterglow for the same reason: You sync your movement with your breath. When you do, your mind stops its obsessive churning and begins to slow down. Your attention turns from your endless to-do list toward the rhythm of your breath, and you feel more peaceful than you did before you began your practice.

For many of us, accessing that same settled, contented state is more difficult to do in meditation. It's not easy to watch the mind reveal its worries, its self-criticism, or its old memories. Meditation requires patience and—even more challenging for most Westerners—time. So, why would you put yourself through the struggle?

Quite simply, meditation can profoundly alter your experience of life. Thousands of years ago the sage Patanjali, who compiled the Yoga Sutra, and the Buddha both promised that meditation could eliminate the suffering caused by an untamed mind. They taught their students to cultivate focused attention, compassion, and joy. And they believed that it was possible to change one's mental powers and emotional patterns by regularly experiencing meditative states. Those are hefty promises.

But these days, you don't have to take their word for it. Western scientists are testing the wisdom of the masters, using new technology that allows researchers to study how meditation influences the brain.

The current findings are exciting enough to encourage even the most resistant yogis to sit down on the cushion: They suggest that meditation—even in small doses—can profoundly influence your experience of the world by remodeling the physical structure of your brain. Read on to find out how, and then put each finding into practice with meditations by yoga teachers Christopher Tompkins, Frank Jude Boccio, and Kate Vogt.

How Meditation Trains Your Brain

Using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine, Eileen Luders, a re-searcher in the Department of Neurology at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, looks for evidence that meditation changes the physical structure of the brain. Until recently, this idea would have seemed absurd. "Scientists used to believe that the brain reaches its peak in adulthood and doesn't change—until it starts to decrease in late adulthood," Luders says. "Today we know that everything we do, and every experience we have, actually changes the brain."

Indeed, Luders finds several differences between the brains of meditators and nonmeditators. In a study published in the journal NeuroImage in 2009, Luders and her colleagues compared the brains of 22 meditators and 22 age-matched nonmeditators and found that the meditators (who practiced a wide range of traditions and had between 5 and 46 years of meditation experience) had more gray matter in regions of the brain that are important for attention, emotion regulation, and mental flexibility. Increased gray matter typically makes an area of the brain more efficient or powerful at processing information. Luders believes that the increased gray matter in the meditators' brains should make them better at controlling their attention, managing their emotions, and making mindful choices.

Why are there differences between the brains of meditators and nonmeditators? It's a simple matter of training. Neuroscientists now know that the brain you have today is, in part, a reflection of the demands you have placed on it. People learning to juggle, for example, develop more connections in areas of the brain that anticipate moving objects. Medical students undergoing periods of intense learning show similar changes in the hippocampus, an area of the brain important for memory. And mathematicians have more gray matter in regions important for arithmetic and spatial reasoning.

More and more neuroscientists, like Luders, have started to think that learning to meditate is no different from learning mental skills such as music or math. Like anything else that requires practice, meditation is a training program for the brain. "Regular use may strengthen the connections between neurons and can also make new connections," Luders explains. "These tiny changes, in thousands of connections, can lead to visible changes in the structure of the brain."

Those structural changes, in turn, create a brain that is better at doing whatever you've asked it to do. Musicians' brains could get better at analyzing and creating music. Mathematicians' brains may get better at solving problems. What do meditators' brains get better at doing? This is where it gets interesting: It depends on what kind of meditation they do.

Over the past decade, researchers have found that if you practice focusing attention on your breath or a mantra, the brain will restructure itself to make concentration easier. If you practice calm acceptance during meditation, you will develop a brain that is more resilient to stress. And if you meditate while cultivating feelings of love and compassion, your brain will develop in such a way that you spontaneously feel more connected to others.

Improve Your Attention

New research shows that meditation can help you improve your ability to concentrate in two ways. First, it can make you better at focusing on something specific while ignoring distractions. Second, it can make you more capable of noticing what is happening around you, giving you a fuller perspective on the present moment.

Some of the most fascinating research on how meditation affects attention is being conducted by Antoine Lutz, PhD, an associate scientist at the Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, in collaboration with Richard Davidson and the Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin. Their work has shown that concentration meditation, in which the meditator focuses complete attention on one thing, such as counting the breath or gazing at an object, activates regions of the brain that are critical for controlling attention. This is true even among novice meditators who receive only brief training. Experienced meditators show even stronger activation in these regions. This you would expect, if meditation trains the brain to pay attention. But extremely experienced meditators (who have more than 44,000 hours of meditation practice) show less activation in these regions, even though their performance on attention tasks is better. The explanation for this, in Lutz's view, is that the meditation training can eventually help reduce the effort it takes to focus your attention. "This would be consistent with traditional accounts of progress in meditation practice. Sustaining focus becomes effortless," Lutz says. This suggests that people can immediately enhance concentration by learning a simple meditation technique, and that practice creates even more progress.

The researchers also looked at whether vipassana meditation training can improve overall attention. (Vipassana means "to see things as they really are," and the meditation techniques are designed to increase focus, awareness, and insight.) Researchers label our inability to notice things in our environment as "attentional blink." Most of us experience this throughout the day, when we become so caught up in our own thoughts that we miss what a friend says to us and have to ask her to repeat it. A more dramatic example would be a car accident caused by your thinking about a conversation you just had and not noticing that the car in front of you has stopped. If you were able to reduce your attentional blink, it would mean a more accurate and complete perception of reality—you would notice more and miss less.

To test whether meditation reduces attentional blink, participants had to notice two things occurring in rapid succession, less than a second apart. The findings, published in PLoS Biology, reveal that the meditation training improved the participants' ability to notice both changes, with no loss in accuracy.

What explained this improvement? EEG recordings—which track patterns of electrical activity in the brain, showing precise moment-by-moment fluctuations in brain activation—showed that the participants allocated fewer brain resources to the task of noticing each target. In fact, the meditators spent less mental energy noticing the first target, which freed up mental bandwidth for noticing what came next. Paying attention literally became easier for the brain.

As a result, Lutz and his colleagues believe that meditation may increase our control over our limited brain resources. To anyone who knows what it's like to feel scattered or overwhelmed, this is an appealing benefit indeed. Even though your attention is a limited resource, you can learn to do more with the mental energy you already have.

Reduce Your Stress

Dhyana heyah tad vrttayah.

Meditation removes disturbances of the mind. —Yoga Sutra II.11

Research also shows that meditation can help people with anxiety disorders. Philippe Goldin, director of the Clinically Applied Affective Neuroscience project in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University, uses mindfulness meditation in his studies. The general practice is to become aware of the present moment—by paying attention to sounds, your breath, sensations in your body, or thoughts or feelings—and to observe without judgment and without trying to change what you notice.

Like most of us, the participants in Goldin's studies suffer from all sorts of disturbances of the mind—worries, self-doubt, stress, and even panic. But people with anxiety disorders feel unable to escape from such thoughts and emotions, and find their lives overtaken by them. Goldin's research shows that mindfulness meditation offers freedom for people with anxiety, in part by changing the way the brain responds to negative thoughts.

In his studies, participants take an eight-week mindfulness-based course in stress reduction. They meet once weekly for a class and practice on their own for up to an hour a day. The training includes mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, and relaxation with body awareness as well as discussions about mindfulness in everyday life.

Before and after the intervention, participants have their brains scanned inside an fMRI (or functional MRI) machine, which looks at brain activity rather than the structure of the brain, while completing what Goldin calls "self-referential processing"—that is, thinking about themselves. An fMRI scanner tracks which brain areas consume more energy during meditation and, therefore, which regions are more active.

Ironically, the brain-scanning sessions could provoke anxiety even in the calmest of people. Participants must lie immobilized on their back with their head held in the brain scanner. They rest their teeth on dental wax to prevent any head movement or talking. They are then asked to reflect on different statements about themselves that appear on a screen in front of their face. Some of the statements are positive, but many of them are not, such as "I'm not OK the way I am," or "Something's wrong with me." These are exactly the kinds of thoughts that plague people with anxiety.

The brain scans in Goldin's studies show a surprising pattern. After the mindfulness intervention, participants have greater activity in a brain network associated with processing information when they reflect on negative self-statements. In other words, they pay more attention to the negative statements than they did before the intervention. And yet, they also show decreased activation in the amygdala—a region associated with stress and anxiety. Most important, the participants suffered less. "They reported less anxiety and worrying," Goldin says. "They put themselves down less, and their self-esteem improved."

Goldin's interpretation of the findings is that mindfulness meditation teaches people with anxiety how to handle distressing thoughts and emotions without being overpowered by them. Most people either push away unpleasant thoughts or obsess over them—both of which give anxiety more power. "The goal of meditation is not to get rid of thoughts or emotions. The goal is to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions and learn how to move through them without getting stuck." The brain scans suggest that the anxiety sufferers were learning to witness negative thoughts without going into a full-blown anxiety response.

Research from other laboratories is confirming that mindfulness meditation can lead to lasting positive changes in the brain. For example, a recent study by Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University put 26 highly stressed adults through an eight-week mindfulness-based course in stress reduction that followed the same basic format as Goldin's study. Brain scans were taken before and after the intervention, along with participants' own reports of stress. The participants who reported decreased stress also showed decreases in gray -matter density in the amygdala. Previous research had revealed that trauma and chronic stress can enlarge the amygdala and make it more reactive and more connected to other areas of the brain, leading to greater stress and anxiety. This study is one of the first documented cases showing change occurring in the opposite direction—with the brain instead becoming less reactive and more resilient.

Together, these studies provide exciting evidence that small doses of mental training, such as an eight-week mindfulness course, can create important changes in one's mental well-being.

Feel More Compassionate

Maitryadisu balani

The cultivation of friendliness creates inner strength.—Yoga Sutra III.24

We typically think of our emotional range as something that is fixed and unchanging—a reflection of the personality we're born with. But research is revealing the possibility that we may be able to cultivate and increase our ability to feel the emotional state of compassion. Researchers have found that feeling connected to others is as learnable as any other skill. "We are trying to provide evidence that meditation can cultivate compassion, and that you can see the change in both the person's behavior and the function of the brain," Lutz says.

So what does compassion look like in the brain? To find out, Lutz and his colleagues compared two groups of meditators—one group whose members were experienced in compassion meditation, and the other a group whose members were not—and gave them the same instructions: to generate a state of love and compassion by thinking about someone they care about, extend those feelings to others, and finally, to feel love and compassion without any specific object. As each of the participants meditated inside the fMRI brain scanners, they were occasionally interrupted by spontaneous and unexpected human sounds—such as a baby cooing or a woman screaming—that might elicit feelings of care or concern.

All of the meditators showed emotional responses to the sounds. But the more experienced compassion meditators showed a larger brain response in areas important for processing physical sensations and for emotional responding, particularly to sounds of distress. The researchers also observed an increase in heart rate that corresponded to the brain changes. These findings suggest that the meditators were having a genuine empathic response and that the experienced meditators felt greater compassion. In other words, compassion meditation appears to make the brain more naturally open to a connection with others.

These meditation techniques may have benefits beyond the experience of spontaneous compassion. A study by psychology professor Barbara Fredrickson and her colleagues at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and the University of Michigan, found that a seven-week lovingkindness meditation course also increased the participants' daily experience of joy, gratitude, and hope. The more participants meditated, the better they felt. Participants also reported a greater sense of self-acceptance, social support, purpose in life, and life satisfaction, while experiencing fewer symptoms of illness and depression. This study provides strong evidence that chipping away at the illusion of separation can open us up to a far more meaningful connection to life.

Commit to Change

As the evidence for the benefits of meditation grows, one of the most important outstanding questions is, How much is enough? Or, from the perspective of most beginning meditators, How little is enough to see positive change?

Researchers agree that many of the benefits happen early on. "Changes in the brain take place at the very beginning of learning," Luders says. And many studies show change in a matter of weeks, or even minutes, among inexperienced meditators. But other studies suggest that experience matters. More practice leads to greater changes, both in the brain and in a meditator's mental states. So while a minimal investment in meditation can pay off for your well-being and mental clarity, committing to the practice is the best way to experience the full benefits.

Luders, who was a lapsed meditator when she started her research, had such a positive experience being around seasoned meditators that she was motivated to come back to the practice. "It's never too late," Luders says. She suggests starting small and making meditation a regular habit. "The norm in our study was daily sessions, 10 to 90 minutes. Start with 10."

If you do, you may discover that meditation has benefits beyond what science has revealed. Indeed, it will take time for science to catch up to the wisdom of the great meditation teachers. And even with the advances in brain technology, there are changes both subtle and profound transmitted only through direct experience. Fortunately, all you need to get started is the willingness to sit and be with your own body, breath, and mind.

Also see5 Solutions to Common Meditation Excuses

Put It Into Practice

Lovingkindness Meditation by Kate Vogt

Sit comfortably in a place where you won't be disturbed. Take three to five quiet breaths. Gently close your eyes.

Imagine the horizon spanning through your chest with a radiant sun rising in your innermost center—your heart. As though being melted by the solar warmth, release tension in your shoulders and across your throat. Soften your forehead and rest your attention inward on the light deep within. Take 7 to 10 smooth, even breaths.

As you inhale, invite the glow from your heart to expand toward the inner surface of the body. With each exhale, let the light recede. Take another 7 to 10 peaceful breaths. Inhaling, invite the light to touch the parts of you that interact with the world—your eyes and ears, the voice center in your throat, the palms of your hands, the soles of your feet. Exhaling, feel your light shine more clearly. As you continue to inhale and exhale, silently say: "I radiate friendliness for those who are happy, compassion for those who are unhappy, equanimity toward all." Continue until your attention wavers. Then, sit quietly for several minutes.

When you feel complete, place your palms together in front of your heart and bow your head. Release the backs of your hands to your thighs and lift your head. Gently open your eyes to return to the horizon of the world.

Also seeFind Your Meditation Style

Mindfulness Meditation by Frank Jude Boccio

Mindfulness requires concentration, but rather than concentrate on any one object, we concentrate on the moment and whatever is present in that moment.

To begin, take a comfortable seat. Bring attention to your breath by placing your awareness at your belly and feeling it rise and fall. This will help you tune in to the sensorial presence of the body. Once you feel settled, widen your awareness to include all the sensations in your body as well as any thoughts or feelings.

Imagine yourself as a mountain. Some thoughts and feelings will be stormy, with thunder, lightning, and strong winds. Some will be like fog or dark, ominous clouds. Inhaling, note "mountain." Exhaling, note "stable." Use the breath to focus on the present moment; cultivate the ability to weather the storm. If you find yourself swept up in a thought or emotion, notice it and simply return to the breath. The key is to pay attention to the ever-changing process of thinking rather than to the contents of your thoughts. As you begin to see that they are indeed just thoughts, they will begin to lose their power. You will no longer believe everything you think! Continue to watch and become mindful of your thoughts, feelings, and sensations for 5 to 20 minutes.

Also see The Mindfulness Meditation Guide
 

This article originally appeared on yogajournal.com and was written by Kelly McGonigal.