How meditation can slow the effects of aging on the brain

Meditation has been moving out of yoga studios and Ashrams and into the mainstream. Bill Gates meditates, so do Derek Jeter, Arianna Huffington, and Oprah. You probably know a few devoted meditators. You might even be one yourself. The number of Americans who say they meditate for better health or wellness increased threefold from 2012 to 2017, from 4.1% of adults to 14.2%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . And folks age 45 to 64 are the most likely to say they practice regularly. Middle age can be a perfect time to start meditating,” says Lodro Rinzler, an author and meditation teacher in New York City. “You have an awareness of your mental patterns, and perhaps a readiness to change them.” Here’s why you might want to work meditation into your routine, and what you can expect as you get started. The far-ranging benefits of meditating There’s a lot of hype about what meditation can do, but it has one undeniable benefit: more clarity. In addition, research consistently shows that regular practice may be helpful for depression, chronic pain, and anxiety. Studies have also documented that meditation can increase your gray matter and help slow some of the natural age-related atrophy of the brain. Regular meditators report feeling calmer, happier, and better able to deal with stressful situations. What it really means to meditate What, exactly, is meditation? There are many varieties of meditation, but they all share a common theme: to train the mind to stay in the present, either by focusing on the breath, a mantra or on your passing thoughts. The purpose is to help you change your relationship to your thoughts so that you are not consumed by them and your mind is more spacious and quiet. It’s normal to let […]

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