How Meditation Works & Science-Based Effective Meditations
from Huberman Lab
by Scicomm Media
Published: Mon Oct 31 2022
Show Notes
In this episode, I discuss the biological mechanisms of the state changes that occur during different types of meditation and describe how to develop the meditation practice optimal for you. I explain key meditation principles, such as using specific breathwork patterns and adjusting your perception to specific locations along the continuum between interoception, exteroception and dissociation. I discuss how meditation practices lead to long-term trait changes and neuroplasticity, including changing your default mood, reducing baseline anxiety/depression, increasing your ability to focus, enhancing relaxation, improving sleep, and increasing your overall happiness level. I also explain the concept behind the “third-eye center,” what mindfulness is from a biological standpoint, the power of ultra-brief meditations and how to select the best meditation and time and duration to meditate to meet your need. I also explain a novel open-eyed perception-based meditation that may enhance focus, relaxation and task-switching ability. Whether you are a novice or an experienced meditator or simply interested in how our brain controls different aspects of conscious awareness and self-regulation, this episode should interest you.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
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Timestamps
()Meditation
()Sponsor: LMNT
()Brief History of Meditation: Consciousness, Psychedelics, fMRI
()How the Brain Interprets the Body & Surrounding Environment; Mindfulness
()Neuroscience of Meditation; Perceptual Spotlights
()Sponsor: AG1
()Interoception vs. Exteroception
()Default Mode Network, Continuum of Interoception & Exteroception
()Tools: Interoceptive or Exteroceptive Bias, Meditation Challenge
()State & Trait Changes, Interoceptive & Exteroceptive Meditations, Refocusing
()Tool: Brief Meditations, Waking Up App
()“Third Eye Center” & Wandering Thoughts
()Meditation: Practice Types, Focal Points & Consistency
()Breathwork: Cyclic Hyperventilation, Box Breathing & Interoception
()Tool: Meditation Breathwork, Cyclic vs. Complex Breathwork
()Interoception vs. Dissociation, Trauma
()Model of Interoception & Dissociation Continuum
()Meditation & Dissociation: Mood, Bias & Corresponding Challenge
()Meditation & Sleep: Yoga Nidra, Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR)
()Choosing a Meditative Practice; Hypnosis
()Tool: Space-Time Bridging (STB)
()Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac