1. Mindful Meditation and Pain Reduction:

The headline “scorching study” definitely caught my eye this week! And this was an interesting article covering research from UC San Diego, showing how mindful meditation reduces pain, not by placebo (previously surmised), but by altering brain patterns linked to self-awareness and emotional regulation, essentially separating pain from the self. The “scorching” part? Participants endured a heat stimulus on their legs during the experiment. Of 115 people, those who practiced mindfulness reported significantly less pain compared to placebo or other controls, with brain scans revealing how mindfulness literally scrambles the pain signal!I

You can read more here: Ability to reduce pain is in the mind, study finds + Biological Psychiatry

2. Just 10 minutes of mindfulness daily boosts wellbeing and fights depression

In another recent study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton unveiled how just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can improve wellbeing, ease depression and anxiety, and help people to be more motivated to improve their lifestyle – including healthier exercise, eating and sleeping habits. The participants completed surveys on their mental health before starting the 30 days of mindfulness training and upon completing it. The results were striking. After mindfulness training participants using a mindfulness app reported:

  • Reduced Depression by 19.2% more than control group.
  • Improved Wellbeing by 6.9% more.
  • Decreased Anxiety by 12.6% more.
  • Attitudes to Health got more Positive by 7.1% over control group.
  • Behavioural Intentions to look after Health increased by 6.5% beyond control.

Not only were the positive effects of mindfulness largely maintained after 30 days; in a follow up survey one month later (Day 61) the mindfulness group showed sustained improvements to their wellbeing, depression, attitudes, and even reporting better sleep quality.

You can read more here: Science Daily and article Psypost

‘Meditation in the News’ is my attempt to build a regular habit of reading, digesting and sharing some of the (many) articles and press releases that I receive daily about meditation and meditation research. I hope you enjoy!