good vibrations: mindfulness & meditation

It's such a good vibration

It's such a sweet sensation

-Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch

Each day little and big stressors pervade our lives. The routine frustrations of traffic jams, changing family dynamics, difficult people, and unrealistic deadlines, combine with the ongoing weight of the pandemic and social injustices. These stressors seep into us and result in higher stress hormone levels, more inflammation, and less rational thinking. Chronic stress weakens our higher-level brain function. It impairs the most evolved part of the brain that handles thought, attention, and behavior while it enlarges connections to the emotional, primitive part of the brain. Repeated stress builds an expressway to our primitive brain. This stress-induced brain rewiring lets the emotional response win out in a challenging situation. Think about snapping at a child’s hundredth question or swearing at the person who cuts you off or getting defensive with an irate customer. Often, we say something we did not mean (or at least, would not have said) if it was not out of stress-induced anger, fear or desperation. Repeated stress triggers the primitive response and the brain learns this pattern. It develops short-cuts to the primitive response. The primitive brain superhighway grows bigger and we react on autopilot. We need to get off the emotional highway and strengthen connections to our rational, evolved brain. The solution is improving our stress response by giving ourselves short periods to reset and recharge.

            Even if chronic stress has already taken its toll, there are ways to reduce the burden and remedy the damage. Meditation and mindfulness can improve thinking, inflammation levels, immunity, and pain processing. Faced with a deadly virus and unprecedented stressors, mindfulness and meditation can improve health and provide solace. A review of more than thirty studies found that after only seven to sixteen weeks, meditation practices decreased inflammatory markers, CRP and IL-6. These free practices are effective ways to decrease inflammation, cellular aging, and stress. Meditation and mindfulness enlarge the higher-level thinking portion of the brain that improves learning, memory, and emotional regulation. It builds the rational expressway in our brains. Multiple studies have shown the benefits in as little as eight weeks. We can reverse damage from chronic stress and improve our function. Not only does mindfulness meditation repair damage and grow connections to our higher brain, it actually beefs up our thoughtful, rational brain. After a dedicated eight-week mindfulness program, studies have shown that the part of brain involved in learning, memory, perspective, and emotional control thickened. We have the power to improve our brain, handle stress better, and lower inflammation. Even better in our stressed-out world, these practices do not require hours or even an hour a day of practice. A study of Marines found decreased stress markers after practicing meditation for less than 15 minutes a day. We can lower stress and painful inflammation by investing 10 to 15 minutes in ourselves.  

            Mindfulness is being present, aware, and engaged in what you are doing. It is about accepting the present: good, bad and ugly. It means not worrying about the past or future. Similarly, meditation is about being present, and may involve focusing inward on the breath, a mantra, or an image to decrease mental chatter. Mindfulness meditation teaches people to be present with a focus on the breath or a sensory experience in a non-judgmental way. The unifying theme is being present with less distracting, racing thoughts.

Multiple studies have demonstrated that mindfulness and meditation techniques decrease low back pain, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia pain. These techniques decrease overall stress, inflammation, and sleep problems as well. Mindfulness and meditation cultivate a self-awareness of your current physical, emotional, and mental states so you can consider how to respond to a stressor.

            There are free phone applications, classes, websites, and library books to learn how to add mindfulness and meditation to your daily routine. In this pandemic and every day, mindfulness and meditation empower us to be present, think clearly, and improve our health. We can all benefit from some good vibrations!

Its such a sweet sensation
Feel it feel it

It's such a good vibration
It's such a sweet sensation
It's such a good vibration
It's such a sweet sensation

*This piece is for educational purposes and is not medical advice.

References

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3. Morgan N, Irwin MR, Chung M, Wang C. The effects of mind-body therapies on the immune system: meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2014;9(7):e100903.

4. Chau BKH, Keuper K, Lo M, So KF, Chan CCH, Lee TMC. Meditation-induced neuroplastic changes of the prefrontal network are associated with reduced valence perception in older people. Brain Neurosci Adv. 2018;2:2398212818771822.

5. Hölzel BK, Carmody J, Vangel M, et al. Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Res. 2011;191(1):36-43.

6. Johnson DC, Thom NJ, Stanley EA, et al. Modifying resilience mechanisms in at-risk individuals: a controlled study of mindfulness training in Marines preparing for deployment. Am J Psychiatry. 2014;171(8):844-853.

7. Carlson LE. Mindfulness-based interventions for physical conditions: a narrative review evaluating levels of evidence. ISRN Psychiatry. 2012;2012:651583.

8. Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EM, et al. Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(3):357–368.

9. Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Balderson BH, et al. Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Usual Care on Back Pain and Functional Limitations in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016;315(12):1240-1249.