What did research reveal about the impact of meditation on health?
The World Health Organization suggests using the terms complementary and alternative medicine to describe so-called natural medicine and other unconventional medical practices. Today, the popularity and use of alternative medicine services and products are increasing worldwide, including in Lithuania. Alternative medicine in the United States brings in up to 7 billion U.S. dollars in profit annually, with meditation being one of the 10 most common unconventional healing methods. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in the United States, as many as 8% of Americans engage in meditation as a form of treatment.
What is meditation?
Various cultures and religions have long spoken about meditation both in the East and the West. Meditation (Latin meditatio - contemplation, Latin medius - middle) is one of the ways of spiritual concentration, a form of prayer, a process of thought. Many describe meditation as a form of relaxation. Others indicate that it can also be a kind of lifestyle. In the International Dictionary, the term meditation is defined as contemplation, immersion in one's thoughts, a state of deep concentration. In various religious, spiritual, and therapeutic schools, this concept is explained slightly differently. Nevertheless, it can be said that meditation is more than an attempt to relax, to be focused, to immerse oneself, to sit in a certain pose. It is a method (which can be called a technique) through which the mind can be freed from external thoughts, emotions, and other distractions. Meditation allows for a better understanding of oneself and the world around us. By the effort of will, for example, by focusing on breathing, physical sensations, or natural sounds, one can intermittently interrupt the flow of thoughts. In this way, emotions subside, calmness envelops, intuitive, deep perception of reality emerges. It is said that the ultimate goal of meditation is to achieve a certain state of enlightenment (or spiritual awakening). Enlightenment is inseparable from peace, relaxation, absence of emotions, and deep inner insight.
The technique and results of meditation depend on a person's ability to concentrate. Meditation can be practiced in various ways: purposefully directing thoughts towards a specific goal (using mantras) or aimlessly, simply clearing the mind of thoughts and drawing energy. Meditation can be done daily, but for some, it becomes a way of life. It is noted that meditation is most effective when practiced experiencing an infinite sense of gratitude, letting go of all thoughts, emotions, and any attempt to judge. Meditation can be done alone or in a group, using incense, soothing music, special lights, or colors. Meditation is the essence of yoga practices.
There are many different meditation practices. The most well-known types of meditation are raja yoga, mantra, mindfulness-based introspection, vipassana, transcendental meditation, kundalini, sudarshan kriya, kirtan kriya, sahaja samadhi, osho, silent, and pranayama meditations.
The effects of meditation on the body: a review of studies
Meditation strengthens the body's energy potential and the immune system's ability to resist diseases - enhancing the internal healing powers of our body. It promotes positivity, better thoughts about oneself and one's body functions, ultimately leading to improved health. Regular meditation (20-45 min. 1-2 times/day) elicits a response from the body:
· reduces blood pressure and heart rate;
· improves heart and brain blood flow;
· enhances sleep and digestion; · reduces fatigue, anxiety, and depression (according to psychological assessment scales);
· illnesses shorten and become less frequent;
· reduces the number of accidents and missed workdays;
· improves personal relationships, etc.
It has been observed that meditation helps strengthen and heal faster after illnesses such as allergies, asthma, anxiety, increased stomach acidity, oncological diseases, mild depressions, diabetes, hypertension, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, addictions (alcohol and tobacco), tension-type headaches.
Contraindications: psychosis, severe depression, confusion, severe anxiety, dementia.
The above data was published by the US Department of Health in 2007, indicating that an independent review of studies showed the benefits of methods such as yoga, meditation, prayer, and other spiritual practices. A total of 813 studies were reviewed (547 interventional and 266 observational / analytical), most of which were conducted with healthy participants (college and school students, older adults, healthy army volunteers, workers, athletes, prisoners, etc.). In second place were studies involving individuals with mental disorders (66 studies, 65 interventional, 1 observational). The participants suffered from insomnia, anxiety, eating disorders, burnout syndromes, depression, mood disorders, neurotic spectrum disorders, some had difficulty managing anger, suffered from obsessive-compulsive, personality, post-traumatic stress disorders, chronic psychoses, substance abuse, some experienced early cognitive function decline, as well as parents of children with behavioral disorders.
The groups with somatic disorders included patients with hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, migraines and tension-type headaches, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, tinnitus, history of stroke, dental problems, eczema, HIV, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity; as well as those with other disorders such as infertility, menopause, premenstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, muscular dystrophy, pain syndromes, osteoporosis.
Other studies
Reviewing 82 studies, of which 20 were randomized controlled trials (958 participants, 397 experimental, 561 control group), no significant adverse effects were identified.
It is claimed that significant effectiveness was observed in patients with epilepsy, suffering from premenstrual syndrome and menopausal symptoms. A positive effect was observed in patients with mood and anxiety disorders, and meditation improved the mood of patients with autoimmune and oncological diseases.
Neurobiological studies
Changes in the central nervous system during meditation were studied using positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (for yoga practitioners), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) (for Tibetan meditation practitioners). The results show that blood flow, cerebral perfusion during meditation, slow wave sleep and wakefulness states are very different. PET, SPECT, and MRI allow the examination of changes in blood flow in specific brain regions, metabolism of substances, as well as receptor activity when the participant performs different tasks. For example, most meditations focused on concentration are associated with increased regional blood flow and glucose metabolism in the prefrontal and cingulate cortex. During visualization, regional blood flow improves in the visual cortex and occipital area. Self-awareness activates both sides of the brain's momentary area. Increased parasympathetic system activity is associated with subjective experiences, initially with relaxation, later with deeper calm. Parasympathetic system activation reduces heart rate and breathing frequency. All these physiological processes are noticeable during meditation.
Neurochemical changes
When the respiratory and heart rate decrease (which happens during meditation), the activity of the locus coeruleus in the brainstem also decreases. If during meditation the activity of the parasympathetic system becomes relatively higher than the sympathetic nervous system activity, the adrenal function weakens, and the levels of catecholamines, adrenaline, and noradrenaline decrease. It has been proven that serotonin levels in the brain increase during meditation. We know that serotonin has an antidepressant effect, as antidepressants used to treat depression are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. By improving mood, serotonin also promotes the production of acetylcholine, necessary for memory mechanisms and attention. Studies have shown that meditators have reduced levels of noradrenaline and cortisol in their urine and plasma.
EEG and Meditation
Meditation is classified as the 4th state alongside sleep, dreaming, and wakefulness, during which alpha and theta brain wave rhythms strengthen, alpha wave coherence increases (improving blood flow and melatonin secretion more than in a state of sleep).
Increased coherence of brain cortex and improved interaction between the left and right brain hemispheres have also been reported. Furthermore, engaging in compassion meditation increases gamma wave activity.
EEG studies conducted on meditating subjects have shown sustained activity of conscious wakefulness in the middle and posterior brain regions, while activity in the frontal area significantly changes and decreases.
Meditation and Neuroplasticity
Recent MRI studies aimed at determining the thickness of the brain cortex in individuals (20 participants) engaged in long-term deep meditation practice. Participants combined meditation practice with their careers, studies, and family life. The research showed that brain regions responsible for attention, interoception, and sensory processes (lateral prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula) were thicker in the meditating group compared to the control group. The thickest prefrontal cortex was found in older participants of the study. This suggests that meditation protects the brains of older individuals from cortical thinning. These research findings are clear evidence that meditation and brain cortex plasticity are related, meaning that meditation promotes neuroplasticity.
Meditation and Mental Disorders
Anxiety
Meditation induces certain anxiety-reducing neurochemical changes. Anxiolytic effects are caused by an increase in parasympathetic nervous system activity, decreased activity of the locus coeruleus and noradrenaline release, lengthening the gamma-aminobutyric acid pathway, increased serotonin, and decreased cortisol levels. Increased levels of endorphins and arginine-vasopressin during meditation also suppress anxiety.
Depression
Spiritual practices act as antidepressants due to increased serotonin and dopamine levels. The antidepressant effect is also contributed by increased melatonin and arginine-vasopressin levels. Meditation significantly increases beta-endorphin levels and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonism, which also acts as an antidepressant. Depression is reduced by the decrease in corticotropin-releasing hormone and cortisol levels. These and many other neurochemical changes occurring during spiritual practices can help reduce depression symptoms.
Everyday Benefits of Meditation
The psychological benefits of meditation can also be useful in everyday life:
- Improves focus, makes it easier to concentrate, leading to improved work productivity and easier learning. Enhances creativity, helps develop memory;
- Improves self-esteem;
- Easier response to stressful situations (helps manage emotions, delay wrong decisions);
- Increases tolerance and sociability;
- Improves mood, sleep.
If a patient engages in spiritual practices, attention should be paid to these aspects:· when engaging in meditation and yoga, side effects may occur that are most related to personality structure and psychosocial experience. It is important who leads such practices;
· forced lifestyle / philosophy change can cause emotional violence / guilt feelings for some individuals;
· engaging in certain practices may manifest symptoms of psychosis (especially in open, sensitive individuals);
· keep in mind that the recommended practice may subtly convey a religious worldview and philosophy for the personal purposes of a certain group or its leader;
· due to lack of knowledge, proven and effective treatment methods are rejected in favor of an unclear experimental path.
Significance of Meditation in Psychiatry
· Negative evaluation of alternative medicine by medical professionals in the field of psychiatry would decrease if the treatment methods in this area were more smoothly and consistently integrated into everyday treatment practices.
· Meditation is a low-cost, maintenance-free treatment that can be continued throughout life.
· Group therapy helps save money.
· Easily combinable with other treatment methods, such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.
· More research would help better understand how and which symptoms should be addressed with alternative treatment practices.
· Mentioned (or similar) practices could be included in a preventive psychiatry program.
· Meditation can be used as a means of personal psychological resources, harmonious living, and self-improvement.
· The state achieved through meditation can transform into long-term qualities that help focus; in the future, this helps avoid anxiety, depression, psychosomatic disorders, helps control stress, etc.
Benefits for Medical Professionals' Health
· These techniques can help improve the health of medical professionals, especially to prevent burnout syndrome.
· Having experienced the effects of meditation themselves, medical professionals can suggest its daily practice to patients.
· Meditation is one of many ways to help a doctor's body "cleanse" after heavy work.
· It would help learn to control emotions rather than vent them to others, loved ones.
· The specific benefits of these practices for medical professionals could be determined through necessary studies.
Benefits for Patient Health
· Meditation is widely used for anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, various addictions (alcohol and tobacco), mild cognitive impairment, treating psychosomatic illnesses, insomnia, etc.
· Properly designed and integrated into the treatment plan, meditation would not only reduce the patient's but also the healthcare system's treatment costs. It would also ease the patient's condition when specialist consultations are long-awaited.
· Alternative medicine strengthens a holistic approach to human health.
Recommendations for the Future
· Development of strategies to improve well-being, internal health, and spiritual harmony in healthy populations. · Standardization of therapeutic meditation.
· Determine the effective duration of meditation.
· Identify which types of meditation are applicable to different disorders and diseases.
· Understand the impact of meditation and spiritual practices on specific organs.
· Understand the neurobiological changes in specific diseases during meditation in order to change them.
· Treat the person, not the disease.
Summary
Meditation, accompanying humanity for millennia, is now becoming particularly relevant as it helps treat many diseases. It is being considered how meditation could be integrated into the treatment process. It is believed that in the 21st century, there will be a different approach to alternative medicine in medicine, where it will be valued not as an additional but as a standard treatment method.
Prepared by: Simonas Pilkauskas,
Dr. Alvyda Pilkauskienė
Kaunas College,
Dainava Polyclinic Mental Health Center Mental Day Care Station