How do mindfulness & meditation work?

Thoughts and the Brain

You can re-wire your brain just by meditating because our brains change based on how they are used. Every time you have a thought, neurons connect like little impulses across the map of your brain. When these neurons connect, your brain grows thicker and stronger in certain places based on the thoughts you think. We can actually change the circuitry of the brain to help us be more peaceful and compassionate, simply by directing our thoughts and imaginations. Just like a bodybuilder lifting weights to build muscle, the more you think positive thoughts, the stronger the part of your brain that allows you to experience positive feelings will become!

Stress and the Body

Many of the body’s functions work automatically, like breathing, blood pressure and digestion. These functions are controlled by the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). The ANS is divided into two branches: the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS)—the “fight or flight” response during stress, intense activity, and emergencies, and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)—the “rest & digest”, or calming response.

The SNS or "fight or flight" is responsible for what happens to your body in response to very stressful situations. Adrenaline circulates through the blood, affecting every organ. Your heart pumps faster, blood pressure rises, breathing becomes faster and more shallow, pupils expand, and your muscles tighten. The SNS is your body’s natural response during emergencies, but often times it is triggered during everyday stress, and when this happens it can make us feel unhealthy.

When we practice mindfulness and meditation and focus on deep relaxed breaths, we can turn off the SNS and turn on our Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS), also known as “rest and digest”, which calms us down and helps us to relax. When the PNS is activated, your heart rate drops, blood pressure falls, breathing slows and deepens, pupils shrink, and muscles relax. This promotes good digestion, supports your immune system and just makes you feel good all over.