How Meditation Actually Changes Your Brain (Backed by Science!)

Meditation doesn’t just help you relax—it changes your brain. It lowers stress by shrinking the amygdala, improves focus by strengthening the prefrontal cortex, and reduces overthinking by calming the default mode network. This video breaks down the science behind these changes and explores the best types of meditation for different benefits.

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References
Scientific References:
1. Meditation reduces the size and activity of the amygdala, decreasing stress reactivity.
Taren, Adrienne A et al. “Mindfulness meditation training alters stress-related amygdala resting state functional connectivity: a randomized controlled trial.” Social cognitive and affective neuroscience vol. 10,12 (2015): 1758-68. doi:10.1093/scan/nsv066

2. Meditation strengthens the prefrontal cortex, improving emotional control and impulse regulation.
Hölzel, Britta K et al. “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.” Psychiatry research vol. 191,1 (2011): 36-43. doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2010.08.006

3. Meditation reduces default mode network (DMN) activity, lowering rumination and overthinking.
Brewer, Judson A., et al. "Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 108, no. 50, 2011, pp. 20254-20259.

4. Meditation lowers cortisol levels, reducing chronic stress.
Tang, Yi-Yuan et al. “Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 104,43 (2007): 17152-6. doi:10.1073/pnas.0707678104

5. Meditation increases heart rate variability (HRV), improving resilience to stress.
Nijjar, Prabhjot Singh et al. “Modulation of the autonomic nervous system assessed through heart rate variability by a mindfulness based stress reduction program.” International journal of cardiology vol. 177,2 (2014): 557-9. doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2014.08.116

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