Defined as a type of mental exercise for your brain. Being mindful can helps us focus on the present moment. But what actually happens to our brains when we practice mindfulness regularly?
Image: Psychology Spot
- Meditation may lead to increases in gray matter in the hippocampus (the area of the brain that helps your memory and learning.)
- Meditation was also found to increase cortical thickness in the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory, and in certain areas of the brain that play roles in emotion regulation and self-referential processing.
- There were also decreases in brain cell volume in the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety and stress.
- Mindfulness doesn’t just have to be meditation, practice being mindful in many ways:
- Going for a long walk
- Sitting comfortably and focusing on your breath
- Take a break from technology
- Eating without distraction, paying attention to each bite
Read more about the brain and mindfulness in this article published by Forbes: 7 Ways Meditation Can Actually Change the Brain