Aside from alleviating loneliness, mindfulness meditation has also been shown in recent research to have positive effects on the brain -- linked with brain changes that may even have effects against mental illness.
AFP RELAXNEWS
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Mindfulness meditation has been found to combat loneliness.
A new study finds that mindfulness meditation can help older adults battle feelings of loneliness while also boosting health.
The study, published in the journal Brain, Behavior & Immunity, shows that eight weeks of training in mindfulness meditation (a total of 2.5 hours a week) is linked with decreased loneliness.
The study included 40 participants between ages 55 and 85, some of whom participated in an eight-week training program (a total of 2.5 hours a week) called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, which was established by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
"We always tell people to quit smoking for health reasons, but rarely do we think about loneliness in the same way," said study lead J. David Creswell said in a statement dated July 24. "We know that loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems and mortality in older adults," he said, adding that the research suggests that mindfulness meditation training could be "a promising intervention for improving the health of older adults."
Meditation found to reduce inflammation
Using the blood samples collected, the researchers also found that the older adult sample had elevated pro-inflammatory gene expression in their immune cells at the beginning of the study and that the training reduced this pro-inflammatory gene expression, which the researchers said could "reduce older adults' inflammatory disease risk."
Aside from alleviating loneliness, mindfulness meditation has also been shown in recent research to have positive effects on the brain -- linked with brain changes that may even have effects against mental illness.
Another recent study also found that mindfulness meditation, along with moderate exercise, was linked to a reduction in the severity of colds and flu during winter.
Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWpsZvOsZDA
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/mindfulness-meditation-found-combat-loneliness-article-1.1125770#ixzz24JF5ctcw
Jul 23, 2012 by CMUHSS
For older adults, loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems -- such as cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's -- and death. Initial attempts to diminish loneliness with social networking programs like creating community centers to encourage new relationships have not been effective.
However, a new study led by Carnegie Mellon University's J. David Creswell offers the first evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces loneliness in older adults. Published in "Brain, Behavior and Immunity," the researchers also found that mindfulness meditation reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression and lowered inflammation levels; inflammation is thought to promote the development and progression of many diseases.
These findings provide valuable insights into how mindfulness meditation training can be used as a novel approach for reducing loneliness and the risk of disease in older adults.
For more information, visit http://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2012/july/july24_meditationstudy.html
Mindfulness meditation found to combat loneliness - NY Daily News
LINK: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/mindfulness-meditation-found-combat-loneliness-article-1.1125770
