Meditation slows down the age-related loss of gray matter in the brain.

Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles have established a link between meditation and the amount of gray matter in the brain. Based on an analysis of a group of 100 people, it was found that meditation slows down the natural process of age-related decrease in the gray matter content.

Gray matter is the main component of our nervous system, it is in it that neurons are located. It is known that starting from about 25-30 years, the volume of the brain as a whole and the amount of gray matter in particular begins to decrease. Over the past 40 years, the average life expectancy of a person has increased by more than 10 years, but at the same time the number of diseases associated with the degradation of the nervous system has increased.

As the lead author of the study, Dr. Eileen Luders, says: “In this regard, it is very important that the increase in life expectancy does not occur at the cost of a deterioration in its quality. A lot of research focuses on factors that increase the risk of mental disorders and degeneration of nerve tissue, but few people turn to approaches aimed at improving brain health. "
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The study involved 100 people, 50 of whom were engaged in meditation for more than 4 years, and the other half did not do it at all. The age of participants ranged from 24 to 77 years. The data obtained using brain MRI showed a clear inverse dependence of the amount of gray matter on the age of all participants. However, the averaged data show that the decrease in the amount of this substance in those who are engaged in meditation, is slower.



Scientists considered it unexpected that the effect is not only pronounced on the average graph, but also noticeable in the pictures - there is a difference in the state of gray matter in all regions of the brain. Lüders expressed the hope that the results of this study will motivate other teams to similar experiments, which ultimately can help people improve their health and maintain it throughout their lives.

Various studies have established a positive effect on the body from regular meditations. Exercises for meditation are known for more than one thousand years, and almost all world religions are included in the arsenal. They are aimed primarily at calming the mind, which should lead to both the improvement of the spirit and the body. You can meditate sitting, lying down, standing, and even on the go. For the concentration of consciousness using internal sensations, images, or external objects or phenomena. The most famous posture for meditation: sitting, eyes closed, back straightened, head slightly lowered, legs crossed, hands on knees with palms up, palms open, big and index fingers joined.