The science behind mindfulness

In previous columns I have written about what mindfulness is and how it can be beneficial in the workplace.  In this column I will explore the science behind mindfulness and how and why it works.    

Our Brains Can Change

Although research on mindfulness has been ongoing for the last 20 years, and the benefits to cognitive and physical health have been well-proven, an important breakthrough in neuroscience was the discovery of neuroplasticity — the fact that even adult brains can change and grow through the practice of focus and attention.  In other words, what we pay attention to and the way we do it matters. 

One famous study on neuroplasticity was conducted with taxi drivers in London.  Before GPS was available, taxi drivers had to memorize maps of London so they could navigate easily in heavy traffic. When their brains were measured, scientists found a thickening in the hippocampus — the part of the brain that relates to memory and spatial processing.  In 2005 researchers from Yale, MIT, and Harvard decided to conduct a similar study with people who had been practicing mindfulness for many years.  They discovered that these practitioners had a thickening of the pre-frontal cortex — the important area of the brain that has to do with focus, attention and decision making.  Although different parts of the brain were highlighted in each study, both showed the power of attention and repetition to shape the brain.

For years, people believed that once we became adults our brains didn’t change. But now science is proving what mindfulness practitioners have known for centuries — mindfulness improves focus, regulates our nervous system and helps with stress.

We Can Choose to Respond Rather than React

Strengthening the pre-frontal cortex enables us to have more choice in stressful situations.  A famous quote from Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, illuminates the importance of choice.  He wrote, “Between a stimulus and a response, there’s a space and in that space is our power to choose. In our response, lies our growth and our freedom.”  Although he was living in a death camp during World War II, he was able to focus his intention and attention and to choose his response in order not to lose his humanity.  When we can choose our response, rather than being in reaction to situations, we have the freedom to be creative.

When we are in reaction we play “not to lose.” Have you ever played a sport or game where you were playing mostly defensively?  When we play only defense we can get tunnel vision and lose perspective on the game.  We might stumble or make false moves or try to be the hero and ignore the team.  When we try not to lose we base our self-esteem on the reactions of others and on what they think of us. We compare ourselves rather than trusting ourselves.

By contrast, when we’re able to choose our response we can contribute and add value rather than worrying so much about whether or not we’re winning. Creativity starts to kick in and we experience vision and perspective.  We can anticipate  the right moves and how they will lead to success. Because of that, we start getting the results that we want.  When we can begin to respond rather than react we increase our choices.

Practicing mindfulness can help us reshape our brains and strengthen our ability to choose wisely, even in stressful situations.  By practicing various methods that help us come back to the present moment again and again, we increase focus, awareness and friendliness to ourselves and to others. We improve our ability to respond and to move into our life in a way that expands opportunities and helps us thrive rather than just survive.

Susan Skjei, Ph.D., is the director of the Authentic Leadership Center at Naropa University and author of the online course Mindful at Work. Contact her at sskjei@naropa.edu

Read previous column: Four mindfulness qualities you can practice at work

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