There have been numerous studies detailing what happens to the brain in long-term meditators, but what exactly happens to people who meditate for the first time?
Sara Lazar, a Harvard researcher, has gained quite some notoriety detailing how the brain actually grows grey matter when people meditate. Other studies have shown that meditation improves IQ, and lessens depression. In addition to these benefits, meditation also:
- Reduces alcohol and substance consumption, reduces blood pressure (Chiesa, 2009),
- Decreases anxiety, depressive symptoms, and relapses (Coelho, Canter, & Ernst, 2007; Kim et al., 2009)
- Helps patients suffering from various types of chronic pain (Chiesa & Serretti, in press)
- Lowers the incidence of stress (Chiesa & Serretti, 2009)
- Aids cancer patients (Ledesma & Kumano, 2009)
Most people think they have to meditate for years before they start seeing any of these improvements, but a study conducted by Chiesa, Calati, and Serretti shows that after just eight short weeks of meditation, people start to experience improved cognitive functioning.
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