By practicing mindfulness, we are actually changing our brains through a concept called neuroplasticity: the brain is rewiring itself for better concentration and attention by creating new neural networks and pathways.
A study from the Journal of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging found that over time, meditation produces changes in the brain’s gray matter. This vital part of the central nervous system is concentrated with neural cell bodies that create nerve impulses for all kinds of mental functions — muscle-control, sensory perception, hearing, memory, emotions, and speech — which are sent away and carried to their target organs. Lower levels of gray matter are associated with psychiatric disorders, while increased gray matter yields better memory, sharper decision-making and thought-processing. Some even suspect gray matter to be the key to intelligence.
In this study, MRI images were taken of the brain structure of 16 participants two weeks before and after they participated in an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR). On average, participants reported spending 27 minutes a day practicing mindfulness exercises — about as much time as the average television sitcom. In addition to completed questionnaires by the participants indicating significant improvements in self-awareness and attention compared to the control group, the brain-image scans showed a prominent increase in gray matter density in the hippocampus — our central memory hub connected to learning. Similar discoveries were also seen in structures associated with self-awareness and empathy.
These findings piggyback on a recent study of teenagers by Kaiser Permanente in San Jose, California, which found that meditation techniques helped improve mood disorders, depression, and self-harming behaviors like anorexia and bulimia.
Sarah Lazar, Ph.D. of the Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program asserts, “Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day. This study demonstrates that changes in the brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing.”
In realizing the value mindfulness has on children, nonprofits such as the IBREA Foundation are supporting brain-education projects around the world, with the goal to enhance children’s futures and well-being. IBREA’s brain-based holistic education program combines traditional mind-body techniques with the neuroscientific findings to create physical, emotional, and cognitive exercises, as well as postures, breathing techniques, guided imagery, and games to improve focus and attain the benefits associated with mindfulness. Similar programs are also gaining public awareness as more data is collected about the positive evidence of these practices.
The MindUP program, sponsored by the Hawn Foundation, is another research-focused organization that aims to improve students’ social and emotional skills, help them feel more connected to their community, and improve academic performance. MindUP offers lessons on mindfulness techniques for educators that aim to increase attention-enhancing and self-regulatory skills and strategies.
This fits with the established findings that students are able to improve their performances on tests of cognitive skill after just 20 minutes of meditation exercises per day. Teachers have also noticed that their students who used mindfulness did significantly better on timed tasks that were designed to induce deadline stress. But practicing mindfulness with kids shouldn’t be left just for the classroom; it can be implemented at home.
Mindfulness for children is not dramatically different from mindfulness for adults. While it does have origins in the Buddhist tradition, it’s important to realize that it’s not the same as traditional meditation. The goal is not to achieve a higher level of consciousness, but instead to have an increased awareness of the moment in front of you. Simply, there’s no need to sign kids up for meditation retreats just for them to reap the benefits of this practice. What’s crucial is to understand that success is found with progression. In other words, start small and keep it simple.
Britta Hölzel, Ph.D. suggests using different objects to focus one’s attention. It could be a focus on sensations of breathing, emotions, or thoughts, or observing any type of body sensations. “It’s about bringing the mind back to the here and now, as opposed to letting the mind drift.”
A child’s mindset is far more imaginative than that of adults. Children do best with creativity and variety, so keep it interesting. Movies, cartoons, books, humor, or food can all be incorporated into mindfulness exercises. One way to introduce mindfulness is to direct their attention toward things in their environment. In an exercise called “Attending the Senses,” a child uses their five senses to describe the details of an object, which could be as simple as a raisin or piece of popcorn. Food doesn’t keep their interest? Try a miniature car, a picture, or something out in nature. Most importantly, cater the activity to their personalities. By encouraging them to become aware of details, they will be forced to concentrate and give their attention to what’s in front of them.
Another exercise, and one of the most basic, is breath-counting. “A couple of evenings a week, I will invite my children into a quiet room, without television or distractions, for some quiet time,” explains Scott, a father of three. “We sit in a comfortable position, close our eyes and focus on breathing in and out; sometimes we count our breaths quietly. Even though we only practice this for a few minutes, it has become a routine for them and an important one that helps us slow down and de-stress.”
Other ideas of routines can include a weekly hike or walk, breathing exercises before bed, or activities as simple as kids helping to make dinner. The key is to keep the distractions to a minimum so they can be aware of the present moment.
Similar to playing a musical instrument or learning a sport, mindfulness takes time for both children and parents. It requires practice, commitment, and encouragement on everyone’s part. But as children and adolescents begin to learn these techniques, they will be more cognizant of their senses, what they’re doing, and how they’re feeling. Not only will this help them to become more self-aware, but they will also learn how their minds and thinking processes work.
The bottom line is this: When living in a world where there’s so much going on, too much to do and no time to do it, we lose sight of the little things that matter. It’s time to break the autopilot routine and learn how to live in today — not tomorrow, not yesterday, but today. It may not always be easy, but, to borrow a phrase from Henry David Thoreau, “If you want to be happy, be.”
This article was originally published in the Spring 2013 issue of Brain World Magazine.
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