Three Things Physicians Should Know About Meditation
This article appeared in a slightly different form on the KevinMD website.
Meditation is a hot topic with deep roots, but sometimes it feels like it’s being pushed as a modern-day version of snake oil for what ails the spirit.
Meditation is often touted as an antidote to burnout, when in truth most of us know that a meditation app won’t solve the systemic issues that plague healthcare today. It’s no wonder that some physicians might be skeptical.
That’s why it’s exciting that academic researchers have been taking this ancient practice seriously. And they are discovering that meditation can have powerful and measurable benefits for your mental well-being, memory, and even your physical health.
Meditation is a legitimate area of scientific inquiry
A quick search on PubMed.gov retrieves thousands of reports and peer-reviewed studies on meditation, the majority of which were published in the past 10 years. Getting a handle on the health benefits of meditation could take you down a fascinating, twisty-turny rabbit hole worthy of Alice in Wonderland.
I was introduced to mindfulness meditation years ago when I first began practicing yoga, but to be honest, making time to simply sit and be present just wasn’t a priority for me. My interest grew when I realized that many of the physicians and scientists that I admire the most, including Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Vivek Murthy, incorporate meditation into their daily lives.
Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation that focuses on being present in the current moment, slowing down thoughts, and observing without judgement. These features make mindfulness meditation especially valuable for physicians. Here are three things that you should know.
Meditation may enhance your skills as a physician.
There is a broad range of research looking at the impact of meditation on neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. For physicians, the ability to focus on the details, remain present for our patients, and maintain equanimity when faced with stressful situations are especially important. Meditation can help by
Improving the ability of the brain to pay attention to a task
Enhancing body awareness
Helping you to regulate your emotions
Increasing capacity for memory
Boosting your sleep quality
Improving your cardiovascular health
It may be best to meditate in the morning.
Although meditation may improve your sleep quality, there is good evidence that in the short term, mindfulness meditation can actually increase brain arousal. Why does this happen? The theory is that since meditation may help to focus the mind, this can result in heightened awareness and attention. That’s why it may be better for most people to meditate at the beginning of the day.
On the other hand, you may find that less focused forms of meditation can help you drift off to sleep. Apps like Calm and Headspace are good places to find these types of practices.
A five-minute daily meditation can have lasting benefits.
Morning might be the best time to meditate, but few of us are willing to wake up 30 minutes early just to sit quietly in a comfortable position. The good news is that a study of stressed-out mental health professionals found that a mere 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation can have important benefits.
Getting started with meditation is easy. Counter to what you might have heard, you don’t have to escape to an ashram or travel to a tropical island to learn how to do it. As a certified Mindfulness Coach, I share meditations online, along with many other excellent meditation teachers, but there are even simpler options. The Waking Up app is a fantastic resource, and includes a 30 day starter course. Insight Timer is another good choice.
As with many things, meditation isn’t for everyone. If you find that meditation creates stress or agitation, it may be best to avoid it. And if you’re under the care of a mental health professional, check in with them first before beginning a meditation practice.
Do you have questions about meditation or mindfulness as it relates to medical practice? Drop me a line. I’d love to hear from you.
If you’ve enjoyed this article and would like to stay in the loop for more insights on creating a sustainable, fulfilling, and happy life as a physician, sign up for my newsletter or reach out on my website. I’d love to hear from you.
References:
Britton WB et al. Awakening is not a metaphor: the effects of Buddhist meditation practices on basic wakefulness. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2014 Jan;1307:64-81.
Fox KC et al. Is meditation associated with altered brain structure? A systematic review and meta-analysis of morphometric neuroimaging in meditation practitioners. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014 Jun;43:48-73.
Hölzel BK et al. Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Res. 2011 Jan 30;191(1):36-43.
Kozasa, EH et al. Meditation training increases brain efficiency in an attention task. NeuroImage, 2012 Jan; 59: 745-749,
Krittanawong C et al. Meditation and Cardiovascular Health in the US. Am J Cardiol. 2020 Sep 15;131:23-26.
Lam AG et al. Effects of Five-Minute Mindfulness Meditation on Mental Health Care Professionals. J Psychol Clin Psychiatry 2015 March; 2(3): 00076.
Pérez-Peña M et al. Mindfulness-Based Interventions and Body Awareness. Brain Sci. 2022 Feb 18;12(2):285.
Rusch HL et al. The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2019 Jun;1445(1):5-16.
Wu R et al. Brief Mindfulness Meditation Improves Emotion Processing. Front Neurosci. 2019 Oct 10;13:1074.