Why Mindfulness Meditation Makes Us Healthier
Previous research on mindfulness meditation has shown that it aids in lowering blood pressure, improves immune system and brain function and minimizes pain sensitivity. A new review of past literature on mindfulness now breaks down what exactly it is about the practice that seems to have these beneficial effects.
Researchers defined mindfulness as "the nonjudgmental awareness of experiences in the present moment" in the Perspectives on Psychological Science study. They identified the four acting components of mindfulness meditation: regulation of attention, body awareness, self-awareness and regulation of emotion.
Each of these elements helps us in different aspects of our lives, according to the study. For example, regulation of attention may help us be extra-aware of our bodily state. And by being aware of our bodies, we are able to recognize the emotions we are currently experiencing, researchers said.
The findings "unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the 'big picture' by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic," study researcher Britta Holzel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, said in a statement.
Previous research from Holzel has shown that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain, especially in the brain regions responsible for sense of self, stress, memory and empathy.
In that study, published earlier this year in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, researchers looked at brain images of 16 people who participated in an eight-week mindfulness stress reduction program.
For tips on using mindfulness in your day-to-day life, check out this blog post from HuffPost blogger Dennis Merritt Jones. And for fascinating facts about meditation, click through this slideshow:
It Makes Your Brain Plastic
Quite literally, sustained meditation leads to something called neuroplasticity, which is defined as the brain's ability to change, structurally and functionally, on the basis of environmental input.
For much of the last century, scientists believed that the brain essentially stopped changing after adulthood.
But research by University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has shown that experienced meditators exhibit high levels of gamma wave activity and display an ability -- continuing after the meditation session has attended -- to not get stuck on a particular stimulus. That is, they're automatically able to control their thoughts and reactiveness.
Includes a gradual relaxation followed by a guided visualization for the reduction of stress/anxiety. Video Rating: 4 / 5 
Offering serious information with a light touch, author Dawn Groves shows that by starting with a few simple changes, anyone can find a few minutes each day to take care of their bodies with exercise, sleep, and good food; their souls with meditation and prayer; and their minds with pursuits that challenge and please. Practical techniques will help readers understand how to mindfully interpret events and issues for healthier emotional responses. Groves demonstrates how a few choices can change bad habits into good ones and how parents can not only cope with their children but also help them become part of a lower-stress solution. Sections include "What to Do in a Crisis," "Your Stress-Management Strategy," and "Goal-Setting Hints and Tips."Offering serious information with a light touch, author Dawn Groves shows that by starting with a few simple changes, anyone can find a few minutes each day to take care of their bodies with exercise, sleep, and good food; their souls with meditation and prayer; and their minds with pursuits that challenge and please. Practical techniques will help readers understand how to mindfully interpret events and issues for healthier emotional responses. Groves demonstrates how a few choices can change bad habits into good ones and how parents can not only cope with their children but also help them become part of a lower-stress solution. Sections include "What to Do in a Crisis," "Your Stress-Management Strategy," and "Goal-Setting Hints and Tips." 
List Price: $ 12.95 Price: $ 12.95
Researchers defined mindfulness as "the nonjudgmental awareness of experiences in the present moment" in the Perspectives on Psychological Science study. They identified the four acting components of mindfulness meditation: regulation of attention, body awareness, self-awareness and regulation of emotion.
Each of these elements helps us in different aspects of our lives, according to the study. For example, regulation of attention may help us be extra-aware of our bodily state. And by being aware of our bodies, we are able to recognize the emotions we are currently experiencing, researchers said.
The findings "unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the 'big picture' by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic," study researcher Britta Holzel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, said in a statement.
Previous research from Holzel has shown that mindfulness meditation can actually change the structure of the brain, especially in the brain regions responsible for sense of self, stress, memory and empathy.
In that study, published earlier this year in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, researchers looked at brain images of 16 people who participated in an eight-week mindfulness stress reduction program.
For tips on using mindfulness in your day-to-day life, check out this blog post from HuffPost blogger Dennis Merritt Jones. And for fascinating facts about meditation, click through this slideshow:
It Makes Your Brain Plastic
Quite literally, sustained meditation leads to something called neuroplasticity, which is defined as the brain's ability to change, structurally and functionally, on the basis of environmental input.
For much of the last century, scientists believed that the brain essentially stopped changing after adulthood.
But research by University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has shown that experienced meditators exhibit high levels of gamma wave activity and display an ability -- continuing after the meditation session has attended -- to not get stuck on a particular stimulus. That is, they're automatically able to control their thoughts and reactiveness.
Guided Meditation -- Stress Relief -- Fireplace (002)
Stress Reduction for Busy People
Offering serious information with a light touch, author Dawn Groves shows that by starting with a few simple changes, anyone can find a few minutes each day to take care of their bodies with exercise, sleep, and good food; their souls with meditation and prayer; and their minds with pursuits that challenge and please. Practical techniques will help readers understand how to mindfully interpret events and issues for healthier emotional responses. Groves demonstrates how a few choices can change bad habits into good ones and how parents can not only cope with their children but also help them become part of a lower-stress solution. Sections include "What to Do in a Crisis," "Your Stress-Management Strategy," and "Goal-Setting Hints and Tips."Offering serious information with a light touch, author Dawn Groves shows that by starting with a few simple changes, anyone can find a few minutes each day to take care of their bodies with exercise, sleep, and good food; their souls with meditation and prayer; and their minds with pursuits that challenge and please. Practical techniques will help readers understand how to mindfully interpret events and issues for healthier emotional responses. Groves demonstrates how a few choices can change bad habits into good ones and how parents can not only cope with their children but also help them become part of a lower-stress solution. Sections include "What to Do in a Crisis," "Your Stress-Management Strategy," and "Goal-Setting Hints and Tips."
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