Brain Science of Meditation, How to Reduce Stres

chapter 1: Meditation, brain training, not mind rest

When it comes to meditation, people often think of sitting in a quiet place, closing their eyes, and removing distractions. But meditation is a powerful discipline that goes beyond just relaxing the mind and changes the structure and function of our brain itself. Just as you train your muscles in a gym, meditation helps you train your brain to cope with stress better, improve concentration, and emotional control. Numerous scientific studies have shown that meditation has an amazing effect on activating or deactivating certain areas of the brain and reconstructing neural networks.

How does the brain react when we are stressed? Stress makes our bodies nervous, blurring our thoughts, and making our emotions difficult to control. Meditation plays a key role in regulating these very stress responses. Putting aside complex scientific principles for a moment, and understanding the changes meditation brings to our brain, we can be motivated to continue meditating.

chapter 2: Brain Scientific Understanding of Stress Response

When stress occurs, our brain reacts to the crisis by activating certain areas. At its core is **amygdala**. The amygdala acts as an "alarm system" that detects threats and processes emotions such as fear and anxiety. When the amygdala is activated in stressful situations, it sends an emergency signal to other areas of the brain, which promotes the secretion of stress hormones such as cortisol. This leads to a faster heartbeat, higher blood pressure, and a "fight-or-flight" response in which muscles are tense.

On the other hand, **the prefrontal cortex (prefrontal cortex)** is the "general manager" responsible for thinking, planning, decision-making, and emotional regulation. When stress increases, the amygdala becomes excessively active, and the function of the prefrontal cortex is suppressed. This makes it difficult for us to act impulsively or make rational judgments in stressful situations.

Meditation balances these two areas. Constant meditation reduces the amygdala activity and enhances the function of the prefrontal cortex. This means that the brain's alarm system becomes less sensitive and the general manager's judgment becomes stronger.

chaper 3: Structural and functional changes that meditation brings to the brain

Recent neuroscience studies have found that meditation utilizes the brain's neuroplasticity to change the brain itself. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change structure and function according to experience.

Reduced amygdala size: Studies have shown that just a few weeks of meditation has reduced the size of the amygdala, which is responsible for stress and anxiety. This means that meditation suppresses the excessive response of the amygdala and lowers the brain's sensitivity to stress.

Increased Gray matter in the prefrontal cortex: Meditation increases the amount of gray matter in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for controlling logical thinking and emotions. This is direct evidence that meditation improves concentration, memory, and decision-making ability.

Enabling Self-Awareness and Empathy Areas: Meditation activates the brain area (e.g., ciliary lobe, insula), which is responsible for the ability to observe oneself objectively and the ability to empathize with others. This allows us to be more aware of our own conditions without being swept away by emotions.

Reconstructing Neural Networks: Meditation reconstructs multiple neural networks in our brains. In particular, it reduces the activity of a neural network called the Default Mode Network (DMN). DMN is activated when we are spacing out without thinking, and is deeply related to 'concern', which means regretting the past or worrying about the future. Meditation reduces the activity of DMN, which helps the mind stay in the present, and reduces unnecessary thoughts and stress.

In conclusion, meditation is not just a mind-controlled technique, but a scientific training that helps to work healthier and more efficiently by resetting the brain's response circuit to stress itself.

chapter 4: How to Practice Meditation Based on Scientific Evidence

The effects of meditation don't happen overnight. Steady training is key to changing the brain. Here is a science-based meditation method that even beginners can easily follow.

Mindful Breathing

Method: Sit or lie down comfortably and close your eyes. Focus entirely on the flow of air that enters and exits the tip of your nose. When you inhale, you feel your stomach inflate, and when you exhale, you feel it coming out. When you think of another idea, you admit, "You have an idea," and then focus on your breathing again.

Scientific Effects: Focusing on breathing activates the **parasympathic nervous system** to lower heart rate and blood pressure, and relaxes the body. This has a direct impact on lowering levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Body Scan Meditation

METHOD: Lie comfortably and close your eyes. Focus your attention on each part of your body, from the toes to the calves, thighs, abdomen, chest, arms, face, and head. Observe the senses (weight, temperature, tension, etc.) in each part as they are, and consciously try to relax if there is any tension.

Scientific Effects: A body scan balances the autonomic nervous system and activates the **insula** to increase the cognitive ability of one's body condition. This helps to notice the tension in the body and actively relax it.

Mindfulness in Daily Life

Method: Meditation is not just about sitting down. Concentrate your consciousness fully on daily activities, such as walking, washing dishes, and eating. For example, when eating, chew slowly, focusing on the taste, smell, and texture of food.

Scientific Effect: Mindfulness in Daily Life trains the prefrontal cortex to strengthen the ability to focus on 'now, here'.