10 Things We Know About the Science of Meditation

10 Things We Know About the Science of Meditation

There’s still much we don’t understand about mindfulness and meditation. Here’s a run-down of 10 things we do know about meditation and questions that seem fairly settled, for the time being, and questions researchers are still exploring.10 things we don’t understand about meditation.

Meditation almost certainly does sharpen your attention

Studies have shown that improved attention seems to last up to five years after mindfulness training, again suggesting trait-like changes are possible

Mindfulness seems to reduce many kinds of bias

For example, a brief loving-kindness meditation reduced prejudice toward homeless people and decreased unconscious bias against black people and elderly people.

Meditation might not be good for everyone

For individuals who have experienced some sort of trauma, sitting and meditating can at times bring up recent or sometimes decades-old painful memories and experiences that they may not be prepared to confront.

How much meditation is enough?

It’s possible that in the next 10-15 years we will see a CDC-style recommendation regarding meditation practice, but to date, the empirical data on the topic are still inconclusive.

Meditation does seem to improve mental health-but it’s not necessarily more effective than other steps you can take

Early research suggested that mindfulness meditation had a dramatic impact on our mental health.

Kira M. Newman

Editor and web producer at the Greater Good Science Center, and the creator of CaféHappy, a Toronto-based meetup that gathers monthly to discuss how to be happier

Relationships

Mindfulness could have a positive impact on your relationships

Meditation does have an impact on physical health-but it’s modest

There is some good evidence that meditation affects physiological indices of health

Long-term, consistent meditation does seem to increase resiliency to stress

Mindfulness practices dampen activity in our amygdala and increase the connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex.

Meditation increases compassion

Many well-designed studies have shown that practicing loving-kindness meditation for others increases our willingness to take action to relieve suffering.

What kind of meditation is right for you?

A 2016 study compared four different types of meditation and found that they each have their own unique benefits

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