Meditation for a Smart You

Meditation for a Smart You
For many of us anxious types, meditation is a hard sell. All that clearing of the mind, the crossing of the legs, the focus on breathing--

In. Out.

Zzzzz.

And we're asleep.

But even you doggedly Western types might want to give it another go. Because while it's long been known that meditation alters brain patterns, scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital and Yale University say meditation makes key parts of your brain . . . thicker.

Unlike being thick headed, that's a good thing.

The researchers compared MRI brain scans of 20 experienced meditators with 15 nonmeditators.

The MRI's showed an increased thickness in the right hemisphere of the brain, specifically in regions related to auditory, and visual perception, and our sense of touch. The brain parts that monitor things like heart rate or breathing were also beefier.

Not by much ... just 4 to 8 thousandths of an inch... but the study suggests that regular meditation may ALSO slow down the thinning of the frontal cortex that takes place normally as we age.

By contrast, yoga. . . is really really BAD for you. No. Just thought it would be fun to say that. I will atone by saying Ommm. . .