Meditation and mental energy

I’m currently reading Waking Up by Sam Harris - a really interesting book about the brain and mind, and how meditation can help us see some common misconceptions about how we think.

Actually, Sam Harris argues that the “I” - that “person” inside our head who’s subject to our internal dialogue and experiences - is an illusion.

You know, like when you tell yourself, “I better hurry up or I’ll be late for work,” or “I need to get this newsletter written before work today.”

It’s a pretty tough concept to wrap your head around, but it’s an interesting read.

However, I’m also really curious about the other benefits meditation can bring. Like, better performance at work and more overall mental well-being.

So today, let’s look at how meditation might help us boost our mental energy.

Today’s insights is mainly drawn from the scientific article: 

“Short-term meditation training alters brain activity and sympathetic responses at rest, but not during meditation”

Today's newsletter

• Takeaways:

• The study in a nutshell:

• What they did:

• What the authors found out:

• What can we learn from this study?

• Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions

Takeaways:

🧠 Meditation alters brain activity outside the practice itself

Meditation training was found to result in changes in brainwave activity outside of the meditation. This suggests that meditation can potentially rewire the brain to our advantage.

- Try one of the meditations I made for you on the resource site.

📈 Increased sympathetic activation – not just relaxation

Contrary to the common belief that meditation only induces relaxation, this study found higher sympathetic nervous system activity (often linked to alertness and readiness). This suggests that meditation may help create a state of "relaxed alertness", - both calmness and focus.

The study in a nutshell:

In this study the authors explored how short-term meditation training affects brainwave activity and activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in individuals with no meditation experience.

Over a period of eight weeks, one group practiced Taoist meditation while a control group listened to audiobooks.

EEG, heart rate variability (HRV), respiration, and skin conductance were measured on the participants before and after the intervention.

Results showed that meditation training altered brain wave activity and ANS markers during resting state - but not during the meditation itself.

The results suggests that meditation can induce changes in brain activity outside of the meditation practice.

The brainwave activity observed after the meditation training indicate that meditation could potentially alter one’s default brain activity, bringing it in a more optimal state for sustaining long term mental energy.

What they did:

The authors measured the EEG signal divided into three types, instead of the five types I described last week:

• Theta (4–8 Hz): Linked to attention and memory.

• Alpha (8–12 Hz): Associated with a relaxed but alert state.

• Beta (12–30 Hz): Reflects active thinking.

The authors calculated three Heart Rate Variability (HRV) markers:

• Autonomic Balance Index (ABI): Ratio of sympathetic to parasympathetic activity – a higher value indicates stronger sympathetic activation.

• Stress Index (SI): Indicates cardiovascular system stress.

• Vegetative Rhythm Indicator (VRI): Measures nervous system balance – a higher value indicates stronger sympathetic activation.

What the authors found out:

The following includes some brain-anatomy jargon. So, use the picture to get a sense of the brain areas.

EEG findings – Resting state:

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Responses:

• Eyes-open resting state: In the meditation group, significant increases in autonomic markers were measures. Maybe somewhat counterintuitively both the Autonomic Balance Index (ABI), and the Vegetative Rhythm Indicator (VRI) increased, which indicates a higher activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Likewise, the Stress Index (SI) also increased.

• Eyes-closed resting state: No significant changes in ANS measures were found.

Respiration and Skin Conductance:

• There were no notable changes in breathing rate or skin conductance in either group.

What can we learn from this study?

This study shows that short-term meditation training alters brain and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. And the interesting fact is, that these changes are observed outside of the meditation.

In this way, meditation acts as brain training in the same way that benefits of jogging will be felt when you walk up the stairs to your office.

After the meditation-training period, participants showed increased theta and alpha power, which are linked to relaxed alertness, improved attention, and mental clarity.

However, the measurements of the nervous system showed higher sympathetic activity.

The sympathetic nervous system is normally understood as the “fight or flight” system, and the results may therefore seem counterintuitive as most people would expect a zen-like everlasting relaxed state as a result of meditation.

However the authors describe these changes and the emerging picture as one that is very desirable for young ambitious professionals like us: a relaxed alertness.

Relaxed brainwave activity and markers of alertness in the body.

Other studies on meditation and nervous system activation have found both increased parasympathetic and sympathetic activity as a result of meditation.

It seems that many factors influence these effects, including the type of meditation, session length, program structure, and individual differences among participants.

The key takeaway from this study is that meditation can induce lasting changes in brainwave activity beyond the practice itself.

In this study, these changes seem to promote a state of relaxed alertness, which may help maintain stable mental energy throughout the day.

For this reason and because of the many other positive effects of meditation, I have created a few meditations for you to try on the resource page.

Quick Answers to Your Top of Mind Questions

🙋‍♀️   What was the main finding regarding brain activity and the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?

The study found that short-term Taoist meditation training led to increased theta and alpha brainwave activity during resting state. However, it also increased sympathetic nervous system activity, suggesting that meditation may not simply induce relaxation but rather a state of focused readiness.

🙋‍♂️ Why is the study’s finding about meditation’s effects outside of practice important?

The study suggests that meditation acts as a form of mental training, similar to how physical exercise improves fitness. The observed changes in brainwave activity and nervous system markers at rest indicate that meditation may help sustain long-term mental energy throughout the day.

_{Disclaimer: The above is based on the article “Short-term meditation training alters brain activity and sympathetic responses at rest, but not during meditation” by Anna Rusinova, Maria Volodina & Alexei Ossadtchi and aims to provide key takeaways and a condensed overview of its content. While the essence is drawn from the original article, some parts have been simplified or rephrased to enhance understanding. Please note that we at, OptiMindInsights or any other potential writers or contributors to our summaries, do not accept responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this summary. The information provided should not be considered a substitute for personal research or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult the original article for detailed insights and references. The summary does not include references, but they can typically be found within the original publication. Always exercise due diligence and consider your unique circumstances before applying any information in your personal or professional life. We refer to the creative commons for reproducibility rights.}