Good resource on Meditation

By Chelsea Ryan. This article was initially published in our Concussion Update newsletter; please consider subscribing.

Brainline recently highlighted their article on mediation in their Brain Injury and PTSD Treatment Hub. The article primarily has general information about meditation and references a few studies. When mental training and breathing techniques are combined, a person may be able to slow and calm down their mind. There are numerous types of meditation, including progressive relaxation, transcendental meditation, body scan meditation, and breath awareness––alongside many more. Deep breathing is one of the most common aspects of meditation practice. Some meditation methods rely solely on breathing techniques, while others include visualizations, muscle relaxation, mindfulness, body scanning, and affirmations. Developing the skills to meditate takes time.

Meditation plays a role in improving overall brain plasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change and adapt. The most common method is mindfulness, which teaches a person to stay fully attentive and submersed in the activity they are doing and redirect their attention to the activity at hand when they get distracted. 

The Brainline article references a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis, published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, that concludes that “meditation, yoga, and mindfulness-based interventions for chronic symptoms of mTBI offers hope but highlights the need for rigorous new trials.” Concerning meditation for PTSD, Brainline references a 2018 article, published in The Lancet: Psychiatry, and a 2018 article published in the Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience. There remains a huge need for increased research into meditation’s effect on people with concussions or TBIs.