Dr Shanida Nataraja
NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE
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
Right brain• Abstract• Intuitive• Holistic• Creativity
Left brain• Rational• Analytical• Reductionist• Language
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
1982
Improved well-being, symptom
control in patients with fibromyalgia
1992
Improved skin clearing in
psoriasis and symptom relief
in IBS
1998
Improved immune
function in healthy and HIV patients
2003
Reduces stress, anxiety & depression, and improved symptoms in heart disease
2003
Reduces blood pressure
(normotensive, cancer)
2004
Improved glycaemic control in diabetes
2007
Reduced levels of cortisol and
stress
2007
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
1992
Reduced risk of relapse or recurrence in depression
2000
Improved anxiety &
depression in bipolar
disorder
2008
Improves sleep time
and efficiency in chronic insomnia
2008
Weight loss in women with binge eating
disorders and/or obesity
1999
Improved decision
making & abstinence in
substance abuse
2006
Improves well-being, QoL and
coping strategies in
cancer patients
2008
Reduced anxiety and
stress in schizophrenia
2010
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
Promotes insightful problem-solving Cultivates
positive attitude to perceived
stress
Facilitates sustained attention
Enhances emotional
intelligenceIncreases
openness and extroversion
Reduces negative
emotions and worrying
Promotes emotional stability
Enhances curiosity and receptiveness
to new experiences
Decreases tendency to
self-reference
Cultivates observing attitude
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
Left-brainRational
Analytical Logical
Right-brainAbstractHolistic Intuitive
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
AttentionIncreased activity in attention networks in frontal cortex
PerceptionIncreased/assymetrical activity in thalamusEmotional regulationIncreased activity in limbic system
Autonomic functionIncreased 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 sensationsObjective• Increased activity in insula
(interoreceptive awareness)• Increased cortical thickness and
grey matter density of insula
Subjective• Less prone to emotional or
behavioural outburstsObjective• Increased activity in prefrontal
cortex (PFC)• Greater control of PFC over
amygdala
Subjective• Improved and expanded sense of
identity (‘self’)Objective• Decrease activity in default mode
network (DMN; self-referential processing), including mPFC and posterior cingulate gyrus
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
DeltaUnconscious
ThetaCreative subconscious
PaintingWriting
Composing
AlphaRelaxed alertness
RelaxingPlaying sport
Listening to music
BetaActive thought
StrategisingProblem-solvingCommunicating
Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation
ThetaCreative subconscious
MEDITATION IS ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE PATTERN
AlphaRelaxed alertness
DeltaUnconscious
BetaActive thought
ThetaCreative subconscious
AlphaRelaxed alertness
BetaActive thought
Decrease in activityIncrease 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
Panic states
Hypnogogic/ hypnopompic
Deep sleep
High beta
High alpha
High delta
Dreaming sleep High theta
Meditative High alpha/theta
Copyright 2012 Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation
ThetaCreative subconscious
AlphaRelaxed alertness
DeltaUnconscious
BetaActive thought
ThetaCreative subconscious
AlphaRelaxed alertness
BetaActive thought
Decrease in activityIncrease in activity
‘AWAKENED’ OR ‘HIGH-PERFORMANCE’ STATE ASSOCIATED WITH DISTINCT BRAIN WAVE CHANGES
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?
Dr Shanida Nataraja
NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE