Mindfulness meditation – the effect on the brain.

‘Those who will win the future are those who can find quiet in a noisy world,’ said Ariana Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post. By this, she means: take time to practice mindfulness meditation and your brain will thank you for it!

I’m sure most of us would agree but the next question is ‘How?’

And Ariana spoke these words at a large business gathering. Before proceeding any further with her talk, she sat down on the floor and led a brief mindfulness session for all those attending the conference.

Now not every CEO will be sitting down on the floor with their employees in this manner…horses for courses. But mindfulness meditation has been called ‘the entrepreneur’s secret weapon to a stress-free life,’ and there’s increasing evidence for the truth of this.

The Science.

Neuroscientists at Harvard University recently concluded that twenty seven minutes of mindfulness meditation every day for eight weeks led subjects to experience an increase in self-awareness, compassion and introspection, while reducing stress and anxiety. And they have the MRI scans to prove it.

‘It is fascinating to see the brain’s plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life,’ said Britta Hölzel of the Harvard faculty.

These results confirm those of other surveys, including the 2012 study by the British Psychological Society. They found that employees who practiced mindfulness on a regular basis had lower stress levels and better sleeping patterns.

Companies these days are increasingly aware that mental wellbeing is at the heart of good performance. Encouragingly, it’s a need we can do something about.

Those company brains just need a little looking after.

If you’d like to reflect further on your organisation’s wellbeing needs, do make contact with us at The Mind Clinic.