1. NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE
Dr Shanida Nataraja
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

2. INTRODUCTION

3. Brain is biosupercomputer that allows us to run on “auto-pilot”
The brain:
Weighs 1½ lbs
Has the consistency of jelly
Contains 100 billion brain cells
Is highly interconnected
It controls behavior so efficiently that we can run on “auto-pilot”
The human brain weighs about one and half pounds, and although the brain has the consistency of jelly, its structure is actually highly organised. About 100 billion individual brain cells are connected together to form a network of gigantic proportions, and some people have even estimated that there are more connections in the human brain than there are stars in our Universe. Now for many of us, our brain is a ‘black-box’. It so efficiently controls and coordinates our behaviour that we can run on auto-pilot, do things without thinking. But when we think about it, our brains confer an astonishing range of abilities, from playing to piano to breaking a complex code. Meditation, and the mystical experiences associated with meditation, are just one of the different types of experiences mediated by our brains.
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

4. Structure of brain is highly complex and distinct structures have specific functions
I don’t want to spend a lot of time overviewing the structure of the brain, so I am going to hand over to Pinky and The Brain, two animated cartoon genetically-enhanced laboratory mice, made famous by an award winning television series, aptly named ‘Pinky and the Brain’. In this cartoon, they introduce us to some of the key structure in the human brain.

5. Humans have a highly developed forebrain with two sides with different functions
Humans have two sides to their forebrain, each with a different functions
Left brain
Rational
Analytical
Reductionist
Language
Right brain
Abstract
Intuitive
Holistic
Creativity
The forebrain is particularly developed in human compared with other members of the animal kingdom. There are two sides to our forebrain, and each side has a specific and different function. The left side is associated with analytical, rational and logical processing. It is our problem-solver, our planner. The right side, on the other hand, is associated with abstract, intuitive and creative thinking.
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

6. Are you right-brained or left-brained? Which way does the dancer spin?
Here is a little test to find out whether you predominantly use your left brain or your right brain when experiencing the world. Take a look at the spinning dancer. Do you see the dancer turning clockwise or anti-clockwise? If the dancing lady in the image is turning clockwise, then you use more of the right side of the brain and if she is turning anticlockwise you use more of the left side of the brain.

7. MINDFULNESS AND HEALTH

8. Mindfulness has positive effect on physical health
Improves acceptance, coping strategies and well-being chronic pain
1982
Improved skin clearing in psoriasis and symptom relief in IBS
1998
Reduces stress, anxiety & depression, and improved symptoms in heart disease
2003
Improved glycaemic control in diabetes
2007
Improved well-being, symptom control in patients with fibromyalgia
1992
Improved immune function in healthy and HIV patients
2003
Reduces blood pressure (normotensive, cancer)
2004
Reduced levels of cortisol and stress
2007
Reference
Cecilia S. M. Chong, BS; Megumi Tsunaka, BS; Hector W. H. Tsang, PhD; Edward P. Chan, BA; Wai Ming Cheung, PhD. Effects of Yoga on Stress Management in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. Altern Ther Health Med 2011;17(1):32-38
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

9. Mindfulness has positive effect on mental health
Reduces anxiety
1992
Reduced risk of relapse or recurrence in depression
2000
Improved anxiety & depression in bipolar disorder
2008
Improves sleep time and efficiency in chronic insomnia
2008
Weight loss in women with binge eating disorders and/or obesity
1999
Improved decision making & abstinence in substance abuse
2006
Improves well-being, QoL and coping strategies in cancer patients
2008
Reduced anxiety and stress in schizophrenia
2010
Reference
Cecilia S. M. Chong, BS; Megumi Tsunaka, BS; Hector W. H. Tsang, PhD; Edward P. Chan, BA; Wai Ming Cheung, PhD. Effects of Yoga on Stress Management in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. Altern Ther Health Med 2011;17(1):32-38
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

10. Mindfulness practice has multitude of effects of cognitive function
Promotes insightful problem-solving
Enhances curiosity and receptiveness to new experiences
Cultivates positive attitude to perceived stress
Promotes emotional stability
Facilitates sustained attention
Cultivates observing attitude
Decreases tendency to self-reference
Reduces negative emotions and worrying
Enhances emotional intelligence
Increases openness and extroversion
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

11. Brain imaging research

12. Observing meditators in laboratory reveals brain regions involved in meditation
Newberg and D’Aquili observed experienced meditators in controlled laboratory conditions
Radioactive tracer was released into blood at peak moment of meditation
These methods allow visualisation of blood flow in specific brain regions
The researchers, Eugene D’Aquili and Andrew Newberg performed a series of experiments on experienced. They asked the meditators to sit in a room and meditate, and when they felt that they were reaching a peak experience of their meditation, they were asked to pull on a string. Radioactive tracer was then released into the blood, which allowed the areas of the brain that were most active at the time to be visualised.
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

13. Mindfulness meditation involves changes in frontal and parietal lobes
Frontal lobe
Increased activity in attentional networks
Decreased activity in surrounding areas
Parietal lobe
Decreased activity in orientation area
Decreased activity in networks involved in relaying experiences through language
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

14. Focused attention prompts shift from left to right brain
Left-brain
Rational
Analytical
Logical
Right-brain
Abstract
Holistic
Intuitive
We also know that it is the right hand side of the frontal cortex that houses the brain cells that mediate focused attention. Most of us are predominantly left-brained. We use our rational, logical and analytical brain to operate in our high-speed, and high-tech world. The consequence of this is that, during meditation, we experience a shift in activity from the left-hand side of our brain to the right-hand side, and thus have access to the different mode of thinking and processing offered by our right brain. Our thinking is more holistic, more abstract, and more intuitive.
Meditation elicits shift to different mode of perceiving and thinking
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

15. Mindfulness meditation involves changes in limbic system and midbrain structures
Increased activity in amygdala and hippocampus
Autonomic nervous system
Increased activity in hypothalamus and midbrain
Sequential activation of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

16. Long-term meditation elicits distinct changes in numerous areas of brain
Attention
Increased activity in attention networks in frontal cortex
Perception
Increased/assymetrical activity in thalamus
Emotional regulation
Increased activity in limbic system
Autonomic function
Increased activity in midbrain
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

17. Mindfulness has four key effects on brain and behaviour
Subjective
Focused attention for extended periods of time
Distractions disturb focus less frequently (executive attention)
Objective
Increased activity in and cortical thickness of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)
Subjective
Enhanced awareness of bodily states and subtle bodily sensations
Objective
Increased activity in insula (interoreceptive awareness)
Increased cortical thickness and grey matter density of insula
Subjective
Less prone to emotional or behavioural outbursts
Objective
Increased activity in prefrontal cortex (PFC)
Greater control of PFC over amygdala
Subjective
Improved and expanded sense of identity (‘self’)
Objective
Decrease activity in default mode network (DMN; self-referential processing), including mPFC and posterior cingulate gyrus
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

18. Electrical brain wave research

19. Recordings identify four major types of brain waves
Delta
Unconscious
Theta
Creative subconscious
Painting
Writing
Composing
Alpha
Relaxed alertness
Relaxing
Playing sport
Listening to music
Beta
Active thought
Strategising
Problem-solving
Communicating
Electrical recordings from the human brain reveal four main types of brain waves. There are delta waves, which are the slow oscillating waves that are associated with our unconscious mind. We see largely delta waves in patients who are in a coma. Then we have theta waves. These waves have a slightly higher frequency and they are associated with the creative unconscious, and we see these types of waves a lot in children. They are seen when we engage in creative activities, such as painting, writing or composing. Then we have alpha waves. These waves are associated with relaxed alertness, and can be seen when we relax and put our feet up, or listen to soothing music. And finally, we have the beta waves. These waves are associated with thinking, and therefore we see a lot of beta wave activity in the brains of people who are strategizing and problem solving.
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

20. Meditation is associated with distinct brain wave pattern
Delta
Unconscious
Theta
Creative subconscious
Theta
Creative subconscious
Alpha
Relaxed alertness
Alpha
Relaxed alertness
Beta
Active thought
Beta
Active thought
When we look at the electrical activity in the brains of meditators, we see an increase in the number of theta and alpha waves, compared with non-meditators. We also see a decrease in beta waves, which corresponds to the dampening down of thinking during meditation.
Increase in activity
Decrease in activity
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

21. Hypnogogic/ hypnopompic
Different levels of consciousness linked with different brain wave patterns
Meditative
High alpha/theta
Panic states
High beta
Dreaming sleep
High theta
Back in the 1970s, the research Maxwell Cade proposed that the different levels of consciousness were associated with distinct brain wave patterns. By taking EEG recording from a wide range of different people, he identified that theta waves were high during dreaming sleep and alpha waves were high during meditation.
Hypnogogic/ hypnopompic
High alpha
Deep sleep
High delta
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

22. ‘Awakened’ or ‘high-performance’ state associated with distinct brain wave changes
Delta
Unconscious
Theta
Creative subconscious
Theta
Creative subconscious
Alpha
Relaxed alertness
Alpha
Relaxed alertness
Beta
Active thought
Beta
Active thought
During this ‘Awakened Mind’ state, there were the same peaks in theta and alpha activity, but at the same time, there was a peak of beta activity, which was, unlike during everyday thinking, balanced across both sides of the brain. This beta activity is linked to the insights gained through meditative practice.
Increase in activity
Decrease in activity
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

23. ‘high performance’ mind associated with distinct brain wave changes
Observed in healers, spiritual masters and meditators (permanent state)
Observed in artists, composers, dancers, inventors, mathematicians, scientists (transient insight)
Associated with high performance and creativity
Maxwell Cade observed this brain wave pattern in healers, spiritual master and meditators. In these individuals, it was a permanent brain wave state. He, and his protégé, Anna Wise, also observed it in artists, composers, dancers, inventors, scientists and even some CEOs. In all of these individuals, this brain wave state was associated with an expanded sense of awareness and experience of the world.
Copyright Dr Shanida Nataraja, Author of The Blissful Brain: Neuroscience and Proof of the Power of Meditation

24. Any questions?

25. NEUROSCIENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND ITS IMPACT ON WORKPLACE PERFORMANCE
Dr Shanida Nataraja