Meditation brain changes can begin within just a few minutes of breath-watching practice, according to a study published this year in the journal Mindfulness.
Researchers monitored 103 adults using electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings while they focused on their breathing during meditation.
The study found significant brain-wave shifts within a couple of minutes. Dr. Balachundhar Subramaniam of Harvard Medical School said those changes appeared to peak around seven minutes.
Participants showed increases in theta, theta-alpha, alpha and beta-1 brain waves. Researchers linked those shifts to relaxed alertness, inward focus and calm wakefulness.
The study also found decreases in delta and gamma-1 activity. Subramaniam said that the pattern may reflect less drowsiness, less distraction and steadier attention.
Advanced meditators showed stronger increases in theta and theta-alpha waves. They also showed larger decreases in delta and gamma-1 waves than beginners did.
Read: Science of Dreaming Links Sleep to Memory Training
Dr Ignacio Saez of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, who was not involved in the study, said meditation may reorganise brain activity linked to attention, self-monitoring and emotion regulation.
Researchers cautioned that brain-wave changes alone do not prove health benefits from one short session. They said the findings offer a window into how meditation may affect the brain.
