Modern life is like a computer that never shuts down: notifications constantly pop up on our phones, tasks pile up, and we keep scrolling through screens even right before bed. We may be physically healthy, yet our minds remain perpetually exhausted. Is there a way to slow down — one that costs nothing and requires no special equipment? The answer is as ancient as it is simple: meditation.
For thousands of years, people have practiced meditation in various forms, particularly within the spiritual and philosophical traditions of Asia. Long before it became associated with health and wellness, meditation served as a spiritual practice — a path toward inner peace, mental clarity, and a deeper understanding of life’s meaning.
From ancient spiritual practice to modern medical research
Dr. Shu Rong, from a family with a 600-year tradition of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and trained in Western medicine, believes meditation offers more than physical relaxation. It can foster a profound sense of tranquility and well-being. According to TCM principles, during meditation, qi (vital energy) and blood flow inward, nourishing the body and brain from within. This process is traditionally believed to help the shen (spirit or mind) become both sharp and composed.
Today, Western medicine is also taking meditation seriously. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, supports scientific research into the effectiveness and safety of complementary health practices, including meditation.
According to NCCIH data, the percentage of American adults who practiced meditation rose from 7.5 percent in 2002 to 17.3 percent in 2022, making it the most widely used complementary health approach among those surveyed. Growing scientific interest, an expanding body of research, and greater recognition of meditation’s potential role in managing pain and stress have helped bring this ancient practice into mainstream health discussions.
Yet scientific findings are only one part of the picture. If you know someone who has practiced meditation for many years, consider asking about their experiences. You may hear remarkable stories about how meditation has influenced their health, emotional well-being, and outlook on life.
How meditation affects the brain and emotional well-being
Brain-imaging research suggests that meditation can influence areas involved in attention, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. These include the prefrontal cortex, often described as the brain’s “command center,” which helps us focus, make decisions, and manage emotional responses.
One 2005 study found that experienced meditators had greater cortical thickness in certain brain regions associated with attention and sensory processing. The findings were particularly interesting among middle-aged participants, suggesting that long-term meditation might be associated with differences in how the brain ages. However, because the study was relatively small and observational, it could not establish that meditation itself caused these differences.
Researchers have also investigated whether meditation can produce structural changes in the brain over shorter periods. A 2011 study reported increased gray matter concentration in the hippocampus, a region important for learning and memory, after eight weeks of mindfulness training. However, a larger study published in 2022 found no comparable structural changes. These mixed results suggest that meditation’s effects on brain structure are more complex than early research indicated.
Dr. Andrew Newberg, a researcher at Thomas Jefferson University who studies the relationship between neuroscience and spiritual experiences, explains that meditation engages the brain’s neuroplasticity — its ability to adapt and change through experience. Regular practice may help strengthen patterns of attention and emotional regulation, even when measurable structural changes are not apparent.
Meditation may also influence the relationship between the amygdala, which plays an important role in processing emotions, and the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate emotional responses. Some studies have found changes in communication between these regions following mindfulness training, suggesting a possible explanation for why meditation can help people respond more calmly to stressful situations.
Researchers have also examined meditation’s effects on brain chemicals involved in motivation and mood, including dopamine. Although some studies suggest changes in dopamine activity during meditation, the findings remain preliminary, and individual responses can vary.
The benefits for emotional well-being may be more immediately noticeable. A 2022 randomized clinical trial involving 276 adults with anxiety disorders found that an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program was comparable in effectiveness to escitalopram, a commonly prescribed medication for anxiety. Dr. Elizabeth Hoge of Georgetown University, who led the research, has described meditation-based treatment as an option that may produce fewer side effects.
Importantly, the program involved weekly classes, a day-long retreat, and assigned daily practice sessions lasting 45 minutes. The findings therefore do not mean that a few minutes of meditation can replace prescribed medication. Nevertheless, the study provides encouraging evidence that structured meditation training can be a valuable approach to managing anxiety. Broader research also suggests that meditation can produce modest improvements in stress and psychological well-being.
Calming the body, easing pain, and improving sleep
Meditation’s influence may extend beyond the mind. Practices that encourage relaxation and steady attention can help reduce the body’s stress response, supporting a shift away from the tense “fight-or-flight” state toward the calmer “rest-and-digest” state associated with rest and recovery.
Research has linked meditation to changes in physiological markers such as heart rate, blood pressure, and heart rate variability (HRV). HRV measures variations in the time between heartbeats and can provide insight into how the nervous system responds to changing demands.
Cardiologist Dr. V. S. Prakash explains that greater heart rate variability can reflect the body’s capacity to adapt to stress. Although the relationship varies according to individual health and circumstances, these findings suggest another way meditation may support physical well-being.
Meditation may also offer relief to people living with chronic pain. A 2025 study involving 770 adults receiving long-term opioid treatment for chronic lower back pain compared mindfulness-based therapy with cognitive behavioral therapy. Both groups experienced improvements in pain, physical functioning, and quality of life, with neither treatment proving superior to the other.
One reason mindfulness may help is that it encourages people to observe pain without becoming overwhelmed by fear of it. Pain often rises and falls, and learning to recognize these changes can reduce the tendency to anticipate the worst. When people become less fearful of movement or everyday activities, they may be better able to break the cycle in which fear, avoidance, and pain reinforce one another.
Sleep may benefit as well. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 clinical trials found that mindfulness meditation improved sleep quality compared with certain general control interventions, although it did not consistently outperform established sleep treatments. For people whose minds stay active long after they go to bed, learning to settle their thoughts may help improve their nightly rest.
Finding deeper meaning in stillness
While modern research often focuses on meditation’s physical and psychological benefits, its traditional purpose reaches beyond stress reduction and improved health. Across many spiritual traditions, meditation has been regarded as a means of cultivating inner tranquility, wisdom, and a deeper connection with life.
Dr. Newberg’s brain-imaging research has explored similarities between meditation and prayer. In some studies, both practices have been associated with increased activity in brain regions involved in concentration and reduced activity in parts of the parietal lobe that help establish our sense of physical orientation.
Newberg suggests that these changes may help explain why some people experience a diminished sense of separation between themselves and the world around them during deep meditation or prayer. Such experiences are sometimes described as a feeling of connection with nature, the universe, or the divine.
Dr. Margaret Trey, a researcher who has studied the meditative practice of Falun Gong for more than two decades, believes this sense of connection can foster a deep feeling of inner security and peace. Newberg has likewise observed that spiritual experiences may encourage feelings of awe, humility, optimism, and a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
Dr. Shu Rong offers another perspective. She explains that deep stillness is not a state of emptiness, but rather one of heightened clarity, in which deeper wisdom and understanding seem to emerge naturally. From this perspective, meditation is not simply about calming an overactive mind. It is also a way of discovering greater awareness beneath the distractions of everyday life.
Our emotions can sometimes burn like a fierce fire, leaving us exhausted when the intensity finally subsides. Spiritual stillness, by contrast, offers an opportunity to restore our inner balance and approach life’s challenges with a calmer, clearer mind.
How to begin a daily meditation practice
If you’ve never meditated before, getting started need not be complicated. Dr. Trey offers several simple suggestions based on her years of experience:
- Start with five minutes a day. Choose a quiet place where you can sit without interruption. As the practice becomes more familiar, gradually increase the duration.
- Don’t rush to empty your mind. Instead of struggling to eliminate every thought, begin by observing what arises. When negative or fearful thoughts appear, let them pass without becoming entangled.
- Gently bring your attention back. If your mind wanders, don’t become frustrated. Simply return your attention to the present moment and remind yourself, “I am sitting right here, right now.”
For seated meditation, beginners can start in a comfortable cross-legged position. As flexibility improves, they may try the half-lotus position, with one foot resting on the opposite thigh. More experienced practitioners may attempt the full-lotus position, with both feet resting on the opposite thighs. These positions should never be forced. Sitting comfortably in a chair is also an option for those who find sitting cross-legged difficult.
Although meditation is generally considered a low-risk practice, individual experiences vary, and some people may encounter uncomfortable emotions or increased anxiety. Meditation can support mental and physical well-being, but it should not replace appropriate medical care. Anyone experiencing severe anxiety, depression, or other serious health concerns should consult a qualified healthcare professional.
The benefits of meditation don’t have to start with an ambitious commitment. Even a few minutes of quiet reflection can give you a chance to step away from daily distractions and become more aware of the present moment. With patience and consistency, this simple practice may gradually become a meaningful source of calm and clarity.
Tonight, why not turn off your screen and give yourself five minutes to find some stillness?
Adapted with permission from Secret China. Expert perspectives referenced in this article were originally reported by The Epoch Times.
Translated by Patty Zhang
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