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NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE Dr Shanida Nataraja Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation INTRODUCTION BRAIN IS BIOSUPERCOMPUTER THAT ALLOWS US TO RUN ON “AUTO-PILOT” The brain: Weighs 1½ lbs Has the consistency of jelly Contains 100 billion brain cells Is highly interconnected It controls behavior so efficiently that we can run on “auto-pilot” Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation STRUCTURE OF BRAIN IS HIGHLY COMPLEX AND DISTINCT STRUCTURES HAVE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS HUMANS HAVE A HIGHLY DEVELOPED FOREBRAIN WITH TWO SIDES WITH DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS Humans have two sides to their forebrain, each with a different functions Left brain • Rational • Analytical • Reductionist • Language Right brain • Abstract • Intuitive • Holistic • Creativity Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation ARE YOU RIGHT-BRAINED OR LEFT-BRAINED? WHICH WAY DOES THE DANCER SPIN? MINDFULNESS AND HEALTH MINDFULNESS HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON PHYSICAL HEALTH Improves acceptance, coping strategies and well-being chronic pain Improved skin clearing in psoriasis and symptom relief in IBS 1982 1998 1992 Improved wellbeing, symptom control in patients with fibromyalgia Reduces stress, anxiety & depression, and improved symptoms in heart disease 2003 2003 Improved immune function in healthy and HIV patients Improved glycaemic control in diabetes 2007 2004 Reduces blood pressure (normotensive, cancer) 2007 Reduced levels of cortisol and stress Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MINDFULNESS HAS POSITIVE EFFECT ON MENTAL HEALTH Reduces anxiety Reduced risk of relapse or recurrence in depression Improved anxiety & depression in bipolar disorder 1992 2000 2008 Improves sleep time and efficiency in chronic insomnia 2008 1999 2006 2008 2010 Weight loss in women with binge eating disorders and/or obesity Improved decision making & abstinence in substance abuse Improves wellbeing, QoL and coping strategies in cancer patients Reduced anxiety and stress in schizophrenia Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MINDFULNESS PRACTICE HAS MULTITUDE OF EFFECTS OF COGNITIVE FUNCTION Enhances curiosity and receptiveness to new experiences Promotes insightful problem-solving Cultivates positive attitude to perceived stress Promotes emotional stability Facilitates sustained attention Cultivates observing attitude Decreases tendency to self-reference Reduces negative emotions and worrying Increases openness and extroversion Enhances emotional intelligence Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation BRAIN IMAGING RESEARCH OBSERVING MEDITATORS IN LABORATORY REVEALS BRAIN REGIONS INVOLVED IN MEDITATION Newberg and D’Aquili observed experienced meditators in controlled laboratory conditions Radioactive tracer was released into blood at peak moment of meditation These methods allow visualisation of blood flow in specific brain regions Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MINDFULNESS MEDITATION INVOLVES CHANGES IN FRONTAL AND PARIETAL LOBES Frontal lobe Increased activity in attentional networks Decreased activity in surrounding areas Parietal lobe Decreased activity in orientation area Decreased activity in networks involved in relaying experiences through language Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation FOCUSED ATTENTION PROMPTS SHIFT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BRAIN Right-brain Abstract Holistic Intuitive Left-brain Rational Analytical Logical Meditation elicits shift to different mode of perceiving and thinking Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MINDFULNESS MEDITATION INVOLVES CHANGES IN LIMBIC SYSTEM AND MIDBRAIN STRUCTURES Limbic system Increased activity in amygdala and hippocampus Autonomic nervous system Increased activity in hypothalamus and midbrain Sequential activation of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation LONG-TERM MEDITATION ELICITS DISTINCT CHANGES IN NUMEROUS AREAS OF BRAIN Attention Increased activity in attention networks in frontal cortex Perception Increased/assymetrical activity in thalamus Emotional regulation Increased activity in limbic system Autonomic function Increased activity in midbrain Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MINDFULNESS HAS FOUR KEY EFFECTS ON BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR Subjective • Focused attention for extended periods of time • Distractions disturb focus less frequently (executive attention) Objective • Increased activity in and cortical thickness of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) Subjective • Enhanced awareness of bodily states and subtle bodily sensations Objective • Increased activity in insula (interoreceptive awareness) • Increased cortical thickness and grey matter density of insula Subjective Subjective • Less prone to emotional or behavioural outbursts • Improved and expanded sense of identity (‘self’) Objective Objective • Increased activity in prefrontal cortex (PFC) • Decrease activity in default mode network (DMN; self-referential processing), including mPFC and posterior cingulate gyrus • Greater control of PFC over amygdala Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation ELECTRICAL BRAIN WAVE RESEARCH RECORDINGS IDENTIFY FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF BRAIN WAVES Delta Unconscious Theta Creative subconscious Painting Writing Composing Alpha Relaxed alertness Beta Active thought Relaxing Playing sport Listening to music Strategising Problem-solving Communicating Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation MEDITATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE PATTERN Delta Unconscious Theta Theta Creative subconscious Creative subconscious Alpha Alpha Relaxed Relaxed alertness alertness Increase in activity Beta Beta Active thought Active thought Decrease in activity Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS LINKED WITH DIFFERENT BRAIN WAVE PATTERNS Meditative High alpha/theta Panic states High beta Dreaming sleep High theta Hypnogogic/ hypnopompic High alpha Deep sleep High delta Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation ‘AWAKENED’ OR ‘HIGH-PERFORMANCE’ STATE ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE CHANGES Delta Unconscious Theta Theta Creative subconscious Creative subconscious Alpha Alpha Relaxed Relaxed alertness alertness Increase in activity Beta Beta Active thought Active thought Decrease in activity Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation ‘HIGH PERFORMANCE’ MIND ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE CHANGES Observed in healers, spiritual masters and meditators (permanent state) Observed in artists, composers, dancers, inventors, mathematicians, scientists (transient insight) Associated with high performance and creativity Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation ANY QUESTIONS? NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE Dr Shanida Nataraja