With over 5 million TBI survivors in the US alone identified as suffering from chronic, life changing symptoms, and the proven suboptimal performance of traditional medicine, alternatives are actively being pursued. Meditation is a promising treatment option that’s being heavily researched. Meditation falls into a category of treatment referred to as functional medicine; or, when used in conjunction with traditional western techniques, it’s referred to as integrative medicine. (1)
What Research is Showing
Neurotransmitter imbalance is commonly encountered following a TBI, and the impact can increase gradually after the initial injury. (2) There is a mounting body of research-based evidence showing proof of both direct and indirect benefits from meditation and mindfulness practices in producing and maintaining a healthy balance of neurotransmitters in our brains.
Meditation significantly increases serotonin levels (3); increasing our sense of well-being and how happy we feel. It increases dopamine levels, also related to our happiness, but unlike alcohol, sex and drug induced dopamine increase, meditation benefits are shown to last well beyond the time actually spent meditating.
A meditation practice increases your body’s melatonin production, leading to consistently better sleep. (4) Studies show that, compared to sleep hygiene practice alone, meditation and mindfulness practices offer significantly better results for insomnia, depression, and fatigue levels. (5)
Studies show that meditation increases GABA levels, leading to a decrease of anxiety. (3) A number of studies demonstrate the reduction of the “stress hormone” cortisol, along with a host of other benefits in the area of physiological stress responses. (6) Growth hormone is strongly connected to our ability to regenerate throughout our bodies, including our brains – and yes, meditation is shown to increase our body’s production of growth hormone. Finally, meditation helps reduce pain levels by changing our perceptions. (7) – a huge benefit for those suffering with chronic pain.
Possibly one of the most important meditation benefits for brain injury survivors is the fact that it encourages neurogenesis (growth of new neurons) and synaptogenesis (creation of new synapses between neurons) (8). Combine this with the fact that meditation can help increase BDNF levels (9), and it’s easy to see that meditation may be worth exploring. While recovering all that was lost simply isn’t possible for most of us, making the most we can from what we have now is something we can do.
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.” – Vince Lombardi
But Exactly What is Meditation?
First off, it’s just important to understand that although many people use meditation in their spiritual traditions, meditation isn’t a religious practice in and of itself. Put quite simply, meditation is a behavioral practice that brings a sense of relaxation, focus, and awareness to the meditator. There are many different approaches, each offering a variety of benefits. I’ll be following this post with a series of posts on meditation techniques that explore the research, the proven benefits, and the different methodologies of the most popular styles of practice.
Finally…
I’ll wrap up this post by letting you know that I’m a believer in meditation practice because I am experiencing so many positive changes in my own life experience since starting a daily practice. I’ve personally explored several techniques and I’m researching many more. It’s my belief that if any of the meditation practices I write about speak to you in any way, you should take the time to try it for yourself.
If you’re a brain injury survivor, I strongly encourage you to read through the meditation posts and see if you find anything you resonate with. It’s made a big difference for me, and what works for me may make a difference for you. Our brain injuries put us in a position where a new approach to life that can make positive differences in our lives are a priority.
If you’re a caregiver, consider which techniques could be most beneficial and can be integrated into your care regimen. As a caregiver, guided meditations may be a solid approach. I’ll talk more about this in the meditation series.
And finally, even if you don’t have a brain injury and you aren’t a caregiver but you happened to read this blog post, you may want to consider if it’s time to explore the practices and benefits of meditation.
References
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Future Assessment Tools and Treatment Prospects
Steven R Flanagan, Joshua B Cantor, and Teresa A Ashman
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2626927/ - Glutamate and GABA imbalance following traumatic brain injury
Réjean M. Guerriero, Christopher C. Giza, and Alexander Rotenberg
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4640931/ - Serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine metabolites in transcendental meditation-technique
Bujatti, M., Biederer, P. (Journal of Neural Transmission)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF01256514 - Meditation and Yoga can Modulate Brain Mechanisms that affect Behavior and Anxiety-A Modern Scientific Perspective
Divya Krishnakumar, Michael R Hamblin, and Shanmugamurthy Lakshmanan
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4769029/ - Mindfulness meditation and improvement in sleep quality and daytime impairment among older adults with sleep disturbances: a randomized clinical trial
Black DS, O’Reilly GA, Olmstead R, Breen EC, Irwin MR
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25686304 - Mindfulness mediates the physiological markers of stress: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Pascoe MC, Thompson DR, Jenkins ZM, Ski CF
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28863392 - Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account
Fadel Zeidan, David Vago
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4941786/ - Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density
Britta K. Hölzel, James Carmody, Mark Vangel, Christina Congleton, Sita M. Yerramsetti, Tim Gard, Sara W. Lazar
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/ - Yoga, Meditation and Mind-Body Health: Increased BDNF, Cortisol Awakening Response, and Altered Inflammatory Marker Expression after a 3-Month Yoga and Meditation Retreat – B. Rael Cahn, Matthew S. Goodman, Christine T. Peterson, Raj Maturi, & Paul J. Mills
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5483482/
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