Meditation News and Research

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The term meditation refers to a variety of techniques or practices intended to focus or control attention. Most of them are rooted in Eastern religious or spiritual traditions. These techniques have been used by many different cultures throughout the world for thousands of years.

Today, many people use meditation outside of its traditional religious or cultural settings as a form of mind-body medicine. Many claims have been made about its value in promoting or improving health and wellness.

Mindfulness training linked to altered states of consciousness

Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity – so-called altered states of consciousness – according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge.

18 Jul 2024

Precise brain imaging method reveals origins of creativity

Have you ever had the solution for a tough problem suddenly hit you when you're thinking about something entirely different? Creative thought is a hallmark of humanity, but it's an ephemeral, almost paradoxical ability, striking unexpectedly when it's not sought out.

15 Jul 2024

Transcendental Meditation empowers female youth in Uganda with improved self-esteem and resilience

Transcendental Meditation significantly boosts self-esteem, self-efficacy, and gratitude among female adolescents in the slums of Kampala, Uganda, empowering them to overcome socioeconomic challenges.

15 Jul 2024

Challenging the chronic brain disease model of addiction

Addiction is not simply a chronic brain disease and considering it as such can limit treatment options and increase stigma, an extensive research review suggests.

1 Jul 2024

Leading By Example: Bedfont® Encourages Employee Well-being for World Well-being Week 2024

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From Bedfont® Scientific Ltd 28 Jun 2024

Study: 15-minute focused-attention meditation blurs boundary between self and the environment

An experimental study with nonmeditator participants revealed that a 15-minute focused-attention meditation session blurred the boundary between the self and the environment, aligning with the feeling of the body's boundaries fading reported by meditators.

26 Jun 2024

Mindfulness promotes sleep health through effective emotion regulation

Mindfulness – focusing on the present moment – can improve sleep, reduce stress and improve overall health. A new University of South Florida-led study helps explain why.

24 Jun 2024

Mindfulness meditation curbs gaming addiction by altering brain responses

Mindfulness meditation significantly reduces gaming cravings and addiction severity in adults with Internet Gaming Disorder. The study reveals decreased activation in brain regions associated with craving, such as the lentiform nuclei and medial frontal gyrus.

23 Jun 2024

Older women are different than older men. Their health is woefully understudied.

Medical research has shortchanged women for decades. This is particularly true of older women, leaving physicians without critically important information about how to best manage their health.

18 Jun 2024

How virtual reality transforms women’s labor experiences

A PLOS ONE study found that virtual reality (VR) effectively reduces labor pain and anxiety, providing a positive and immersive birthing experience for women.

17 Jun 2024

Study shows self-administered mindfulness meditation reduces stress

A study in Nature Human Behaviour found that four types of self-administered mindfulness meditation exercises—mindful walking, mindful breathing, loving-kindness meditation, and body scan—effectively reduce stress among English-speaking adults in high-income countries.

12 Jun 2024

Headband meditation may offer pain relief and improved function after Cushing's surgery

Patients with Cushing's syndrome who are recovering from surgery and wear a headband that tracks brain activity while they meditate may have less pain and better physical functioning compared with patients not using the device, suggests a study being presented Monday at ENDO 2024, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Boston, Mass.

3 Jun 2024

Mindfulness as medicine: A powerful tool for pain and addiction

Mindfulness training has made its way into school districts, self-help and health books, and workplaces. One day soon, it could also be widely offered as a "medicine" for some physical and mental health conditions.

31 May 2024

Online stress management intervention reduces burden for family caregivers of dementia patients

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80% of those living with dementia receive informal care from family members or friends.

29 May 2024

Study reveals common yet overlooked mystical experiences impact well-being

Researchers found that emergent phenomena (EP) from practices like meditation and mindfulness are common and can lead to both positive and negative outcomes, highlighting the need for better clinical support.

26 May 2024

Altered states of consciousness common in meditation, study finds

Yoga, mindfulness, meditation, breathwork, and other practices are gaining in popularity due to their potential to improve health and well-being.

20 May 2024

Paddling through mental health: Long-term benefits of SUP revealed in "Freedom on Water" study

A study in the journal Healthcare highlights the significant long-term benefits of stand-up paddling (SUP) on mental health and well-being for individuals with mental disorders, as seen in the "Freedom on Water" project.

14 May 2024

Yogic practices enhance heart health and functional capacity in heart failure patients

Yoga focused on breathing, meditation, and relaxation is linked with symptom improvement in patients with heart failure, according to research presented today at Heart Failure 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

13 May 2024

Relaxation interventions can be offered to lactating parents who would like to improve milk supply and increase well-being

A recent study in JAMA Pediatrics explored the utility of relaxation therapy in increasing milk production in human mothers.

9 May 2024

Insights on the downsides of late-night screen time and health benefits of digital detox

According to a YouGov study on sleep, 87% of Britons say they look at their phone or tablet within an hour before going to bed, with 25% claiming they look at their phone immediately before going to sleep. On top of this, 74% of people say they keep their phones in the bedroom at night.

27 Apr 2024