What if meditation allowed us to age better?

INSERM: And what if meditation enhanced the aging process? This is suggested by the results of a pilot study, conducted by Inserm researchers based in Caen and Lyon. 73 individuals, with an average age of 65 years, underwent brain imaging tests. Among these individuals, “meditation experts” (with 15,000 to 30,000 hours of meditation to their name) showed significant differences in certain regions of the brain. By reducing stress, anxiety, negative emotions and sleep problems, which tend to become more pronounced with age, meditation could reduce the harmful effects arising from these factors and have a positive effect on brain aging. These results have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Yoga and meditation can influence perception of pain and aging

Maastricht: There were already indications that mindfulness meditation and yoga have a positive effect on pain perception and the preservation of mental faculties when ageing. With the help of brain scanners, PhD student Tim Gard now explains the underlying mechanisms in the brain. He found unique neural mechanisms in the area of pain processing and more efficiently organised and sturdier brain networks in older adults who were experienced yoga and meditation practitioners. This could have future implications for the treatment of chronic pain and for maintaining a healthy ageing population as long as possible.