# Introduction - Benefits of meditation - Studies show that meditation helps **improve many different types of conditions**, including **depression, anxiety, chronic pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure**, as well as improving **concentration, memory, and reasoning skills**. - **Mindfulness changes brain function.** - A 2014 study called Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation showed that the practice of mindfulness changes brain function in areas including the medial cortex, default mode network, insula, amygdala, lateral frontal regions, and basal ganglia. ([Neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation: Evidence from neuroimaging studies - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25071887/)) - **Meditation has calming effects.** - Research has shown that EEG activity actually decreases during meditation. ([Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies.](https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-03023-002)) - **People who meditate may need less sleep.** - [Meditation acutely improves psychomotor vigilance, and may decrease sleep need - PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20670413/) - **Meditation makes your brain age slower** and increases the amount of grey matter in your brain. - Grey matter is responsible for muscle control, seeing, hearing, memory, emotions, and speech. - [Meditation Associated With Increased Grey Matter In The Brain | ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/11/051110215950.htm) # Exercise: Meditation in the morning - Tim Ferriss recommends a brief meditation first thing after waking up each day. It took Ferriss a while to get into meditation, he says in a podcast episode about his own morning routine. But 80 percent of world-class performers meditate, he says, so he eventually got in the habit. (sources: [FourHourWorkweek.com](http://fourhourworkweek.com/2015/09/18/5-morning-rituals/) ; [CNBC - Tim Ferriss reveals his top 3 must-have daily habits](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/09/tim-ferriss-reveals-his-top-3-must-have-daily-habits.html)) - **Video: [Meditation For Stress Relief - Beginners Guided Meditation For Stress & Anxiety](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JalSu1XAz-w)** # Exercise: Cardic coherence - Exercice to improve your cardiac coherence: [Exercice de Cohérence Cardiaque - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM3mWlq4M8E&ab_channel=CatherineDarbord) # Resources ## Books - **Mind Illuminated** - **Headspace Guide** ## 30 challenges - **[30 Challenges to Enlightenment – High Existence](https://jimmanueljoseph.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/30-challenges-to-enlightenment-high-existence/)** ![[30 challenges.png]]