Here's What Happens To Your Brain When You Meditate

Wherever you are on your meditation journey, don't worry, because science has you covered. Researchers are right there with you, trying to prove (and disprove) the powers of meditation and explain exactly what your brain is up to when you take the time to go inward. Here are eight things we know happen in the brain during meditation:

Research has shown1 that GABA production, a neurotransmitter in the brain, gets a boost when you meditate. This is beneficial because lower levels of GABA are associated with higher levels of anxiety. In fact, drugs like Valium and Klonopin actually work by increasing GABA levels in the brain, but these drugs also have negative side effects, including  anterograde amnesia, CNS depression, and a decrease in focus and alertness.

The amygdala is the part of the brain associated with fear and emotion and plays a key role in the body's stress response. In a study of over 150 adults, an eight-week mindfulness course led to a decrease in the participants' amygdalae.

Studies have shown that people with meditation experience have increased connectivity between certain regions of the brain, such as those associated with attention and disengaging from distraction. These also happen to be some of the fundamental principles of a meditation practice.

Long-term meditators often demonstrate2 an increase in gray matter in the parts of the brain responsible for feeling and hearing. This makes sense because mindfulness is all about closing your eyes, filtering outside stimulation, and focusing inward—all of which can enhance your other senses. What’s interesting, is that this study mentioned specific areas in the brain’s cerebral cortex that represent executive function, thinking, and planning. These areas were not only increased in meditation groups, but also were not affected when compared to age-related changes in controls.

The cortex is the part of the brain that shrinks as we age, but in one study2, 50-year-old meditators appeared to have the same amount of gray matter in this region as a 25-year-old. To us, this seems like reason enough to start establishing a daily practice.

Famously known as the "reward chemical," dopamine is associated with all things pleasurable: sex, food, and meditation. According to one study, yoga nidra (a deeply relaxing meditation-focused yoga practice) created a 65 percent increase in endogenous dopamine release.

A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that meditators had more folds in the outer layer of the brain. This folding (or gyrification) is known to boost how well the brain processes information.

So is meditation your brain's best friend? The science and research points to "yes." But really, there's no way to know for sure until you try it out for yourself. What are you waiting for?