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During meditation, a person enters an altered state of consciousness (trance) in which the cerebral cortex is inhibited. Through active imagination, the regulation of internal states is formed. The physiology of hypnotic trance phenomena is well reflected in the scientific classification of E. S. Katkov. A person auto-programs the desired state through ideodynamic mechanisms: through imagination and recollection of the desired experience, associative connections are raised and the corresponding states, sensations, and emotions are realized.
An altered mind, not consciousness, really has a place to be. The mind consists of three self-concept consciousnesses and six self-concept consciousnesses. The reference interval of the mind is Created (3)-Divine (6). In practice, this is true.
Meditation from the point of view of medicine is a psychosomatic relaxation that is used in psychotherapy, due to its direct healing effect on the human body.
An altered state of consciousness in which it is possible to concentrate the mind, organize thought processes, and relax the body at the same time (like an electronic gadget in the cooling mode of the system). If you list the physiological effects of meditation, it will be:�
– slow breathing (slow abdominal breathing);
– reduced heart rate (due to less oxygen intake);
– with high blood pressure-normalization;
– prevent overexertion < – >reduce the level of �cortisol (stress hormone);
– reduced blood production, which means reduced carbon dioxide production ( due to reduced cortisol);
– the brain produces mainly alpha waves, equalizing the asymmetry of waves between the hemispheres (this is one of the rhythms of brain activity, with the predominance of alpha waves, a state of complete relaxation occurs, getting rid of nervous tension and stress. In the brain, thought processes slow down, consciousness becomes clearer. At such moments, people are able to think creatively and generate new ideas.); �
– increased blood flow to the extremities;
In addition to all of the above, meditation helps to improve self-control, more successful self-realization, and a positive state of mental health in general. Reduces the craving for drug use, the strength of our fears and phobias, and even eliminates eating disorders.
The body and mind are always connected and affect each other, and meditation is a brain exercise that affects the state of the body.
Everything is scientifically based.
Meditation is explained by the special state of our body. Slow pulse, breathing, nervous system calms down, everything. Cheers, thanks, this is spaaaam
A number of studies have found characteristic EEG changes in the state of meditation. It is assumed that an altered state of consciousness is always accompanied by a number of changes in neurophysiological activity, such as:
1) Increased alpha activity in all leads (recall that normally the alpha rhythm manifests itself only in the occipital and parietal regions, decreasing towards the frontal leads), including the frontal; this phenomenon can be explained by the meditator's relaxation, so strong that it manifests itself even when the person is with his eyes open (normally the alpha rhythm manifests itself when the eyes are closed and disappears when they are opened) [Aftanas et al., 2001; Cahn et al., 2006].
2) The stability of this activity in the alpha frequency range under external stimuli (for example, sound, pain, and visual stimuli that normally lead to alpha rhythm blockade) [Cahn, 2006].
3) The disappearance of interhemispheric asymmetry of the alpha rhythm characteristic of normal EEG, which indicates the same participation of both hemispheres in the generation of activity (overcoming the left-hemisphere dominance associated with conceptual thinking) [Aftanas et al., 2005]. This can also explain the positive effect of meditation practice on patients with depression, since such patients are characterized by a strong asymmetry of the alpha rhythm, which is smoothed out during meditation [Fell et al., 2010].
4) The appearance of theta activity in the waking state (meditators do not fall asleep) [Aftanas, 2005; Baijal et al., 2010; Fell, 2010]. For more experienced meditators, theta rhythms are more pronounced than for beginners.
5) Alpha-theta “swing” in deep meditation: alpha and theta rhythms alternate with a duration of 2-5 seconds (Aftanas, 2001; Fell, 2010).
6) Even at the end of the meditation practice, a stable alpha rhythm is maintained and theta rhythm flashes are observed in the waking state [Aftanas et al., 2002].
7) The appearance of peaks of gamma activity in both hemispheres of the brain, and in more experienced meditators it is more pronounced [Fell, 2010]. Experienced psychophysiologists note that the background gamma rhythm in the EEG of meditators exceeds all levels of similar activity previously observed in healthy people.
In the above points, we discussed the features of the EEG directly during meditation, but some of these changes are preserved in the” normal ” state of the subjects. Let's now turn to the differences in the brain activity of people who regularly practice yoga, from the control groups (people of the same age, gender, etc., but not doing yoga). If a person is engaged in meditative practice for a long time, there is a repeated impact on consciousness, which entails some qualitative and quantitative effects of neurophysiology, which remain in the future [Fell, 2010].
For example, it has been shown that practicing meditators generally have more pronounced alpha rhythms, which positively correlates with low levels of anxiety and high emotional stability [Aftanas, 2005; Cahn, 2006]. Thus, meditative practice can change the spectral distribution of the EEG and cause some changes in the basal level of rhythmic manifestation.
Some researchers have shown that the power of the theta rhythm positively correlates with the experience of the meditator: the longer and “deeper” a person is able to immerse himself in a state of meditation, the more frequent and stronger spontaneous theta rhythm flashes in his EEG [Aftanas, 2005]. Theta activity is associated with tasks aimed at memorizing information. The appearance of theta rhythm flashes may be associated with the described feelings of calm and prosperity and low mental “workload” of the brain.
It can be assumed that the long-term effects of meditation are explained by neuronal plasticity of the brain. Neuronal plasticity involves the formation of additional neuronal and synaptic connections, as well as the expansion and displacement of functional areas of the brain (such changes are most characteristic in cases of brain damage, as well as in people who train for a long time on cognitive processes, for example, musicians, taxi drivers, who increase control of their sensorimotor abilities for better navigation in space, etc.). Similarly, meditation practice can lead to changes in the neuronal structure and increase the thickness of gray matter in various brain systems (see below). [Fell, 2010]. Thus, meditation is not a passive process, but an active state involving cognitive transformation of brain structure and learning.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging, which allows you to show which area of the brain is currently most heavily supplied with arterial blood, which indicates the degree of activation of the studied zone) – studies show that during meditation, the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex are activated [Engstrom et al., 2010], and long-term meditation practice is associated with the development of cortical areas responsible for attention. When comparing experienced meditation masters with beginners, there are differences in the activation of the insular lobe of the cerebral cortex located inside the temporal region [Chiesa et al., 2010]. The functions of this area are considered to be emotional support that is not related to the primary needs of a person, but is responsible for social adaptation, feelings of empathy, and empathy.
People who have been engaged in concentration meditation for a long time have shown an increase in gray matter density in the structures of the hippocampus, insular lobe, prefrontal area and cingulate gyrus of the brain, as well as a thickening of the cortex in these areas compared to the control group (that is, in the areas responsible for memory (hippocampus); perception of internal space, memorizing body patterns (prefrontal cortex); social emotions, empathy, pain perception (insula); emotional support of human activity, the ability to better adapt to changing conditions (cingulate gyrus)) [Lazar et al., 2005; Froeliger et al., 2012].
*To answer the question, use an excerpt from the text compiled by Liburkina, Moscow, 2013
Links:
Aftanas L.I., Golocheikine S.A. Human anterior and frontal midline theta and lower alpha reflect emotionally positive state and internalized attention: high-resolution EEG investigation of meditation // Neuroscience letters. – 2001. – V. 310. – № 1. – P. 57-60.
Aftanas L.I., Golocheikine S.A. Non-linear dynamic complexity of the human EEG during meditation // Neuroscience letters. – 2002. – V. 330. – № 2. – P. 143-146.
Aftanas L., Golosheykin S. Impact of regular meditation practice on EEG activity at rest and during evoked negative emotions // The International journal of neuroscience. – 2005. – V. 115. – № 6. – P. 893-909.
Baijal S., Srinivasan N. Theta activity and meditative states: spectral changes during concentrative meditation // Cognitive processing. – 2010. – V. 11. – № 1. – P. 31-38.
Cahn B.R., Polich J. Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies // Psychological bulletin. – 2006. – V. 132. – № 2. – P. 180-211.
Chiesa A., Serretti A. A systematic review of neurobiological and clinical features of mindfulness meditations // Psychological medicine. – 2010. – V. 40. – № 8. – P. 1239-1252.
Engstrom M., Pihlsgard J., Lundberg P., Soderfeldt B. Functional magnetic resonance imaging
of hippocampal activation during silent mantra meditation // J Altern Complement Med. – 2010. – V. 16. – № 12. – P. 1253-1258.
Fell J., Axmacher N., Haupt S. From alpha to gamma: electrophysiological correlates of meditation-related states of consciousness // Medical hypotheses. – 2010. – V. 75. – № 2. – P. 218-224.
Froeliger B., Garland E.L., McClernon F.J. Yoga meditation practitioners exhibit greater gray matter volume and fewer reported cognitive failures: results of a preliminary voxel-based morphometric analysis // Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM. – 2012. – V. 2012. – P. 821307.
Lazar S.W., Kerr C.E., Wasserman R.H., Gray J.R., Greve D.N., Treadway M.T., McGarvey M., Quinn B.T., Dusek J.A., Benson H., Rauch S.L., Moore C.I., Fischl B. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness // Neuroreport. – 2005. – V. 16. – № 17. – P. 1893-1897.