WHY should it not surprise anyone that meditation actually makes your brain smarter? That is because meditation has advantages that improve the working of the brain. A recent research conducted at the University of California Los Angeles has found that people who meditate regularly have large amounts of gyrification that is folding of cortex, which allows the brain to act faster.
For working professionals, this can be a key to improving their efficiency at work and gaining a little health advantage at the same time. A very interesting finding of the research is that the brain has better adaptability to environmental changes. And this is how it works. There is part of the brain called cerebral cortex, which is the outermost layer of the brain tissue. This tissue is responsible for memory, attention, thought and consciousness. The more the gyrification or the folding, the better is the brain at doing activities such as transmitting information, retaining memories, taking decisions etc.
Well these results are believable for a number of reasons. There are some real advantages of meditation that could be responsible for its effect on a better functioning of the brain. Like:
Relaxation: The foremost objective of meditation is to relax the body. Meditation involves deep breathing that helps in forgetting the surroundings. It lowers the consumption of oxygen, decreases the respiratory rate and heart rate. This on the other hand improves blood circulation. The brain thus is quiet and calm and feels refreshed.
Lowers cholesterol: There are clear indications that people who meditate enjoy lower cholesterol and are comparatively safe from cardiovascular diseases. The mental exercise during meditation also helps people with high blood pressure.
Keeps headaches at bay: People who suffer from headaches often can pacify the ailment considerably by meditating everyday. This also helps the brain as it is saved from stress and overwork.
Better control: Meditation makes people calmer in general. Since they are able to focus better through mental exercises, they are more likely to have a better grip on their body and life. They have calm temper and they don’t get angry very often.
Improves concentration: The brain is able to focus better if you are meditating regularly. Meditation involves relaxing the mind and body, this exercise increases the ability to focus throughout the day.
Creativity: People who meditate daily have better ideas as meditation works like tonic to the brain. It refreshes the brain and prevents it from constant thinking. This results in a better ability of imagination and creativity.
The above advantages will have a clear say in improving the performance of the brain and so the new research findings have only confirmed what always existed about meditation. Meditation is particularly relevant for software professionals who are often worked up and burned out.