Medical <a href="https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/your-brain-as-laboratory-the-science-of-meditation/">research suggests</a> regular meditation and mindfulness exercises can improve both physical and mental health. Meditation has also been shown to help alleviate stress and anxiety. In some cases, it also lead to increased brain size and heightened levels of intelligence. Given this growing list of proven benefits, it should come as no surprise that public interest in meditation is now at an all-time high.
Because of this surge in popularity, several companies have developed new and innovative technologies to make meditation easier and more accessible. As a result, joining a class or finding a guru is no longer a necessity. It&#8217;s now possible to begin learning the art of meditation any time, anywhere, thanks to high-tech meditation apps. So if you&#8217;re interested in improving your mental health and overall well being through meditation, check out the apps we’ve listed below.
<h1><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/welzen-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=welzen-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Welzen Meditation App: Lifetime Subscription</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_147905" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/welzen-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=welzen-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315560" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="wp-image-147905 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2019/01/Welzen-meditation-app-two-women-smiling.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Medium</figcaption></figure>
If you&#8217;re looking for a little more &#8220;zen&#8221; in your life, <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/welzen-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=welzen-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Welzen app</a> makes it easy to re-center yourself in a hectic world. It uses simple, subject-specific meditations to help users reduce stress and anxiety. And depending on your schedule, you can choose guided sessions that are as short as five minutes or as long as twenty. Along with daily mindfulness exercises that will improve your focus and creativity and help strengthen your relationships, Welzen also provides inspiring life lessons that help you feel your best. And because it&#8217;s a mobile app, you can use Welzen to mediate any time, anywhere.
<h1><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/breethe-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=breethe-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Breethe Meditation And Sleep App: Lifetime Subscription</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_147906" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/breethe-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=breethe-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315562" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="wp-image-147906 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2019/01/breete-app-women-in-headphones.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Breethe</figcaption></figure>
If you&#8217;re looking for a mindfulness and meditation coach you can take anywhere, look no further than <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/breethe-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=breethe-lifetime-subscription_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Breethe app</a>. Whether you&#8217;re dealing with anxiety, or having issues with sleep, Breethe provides you with hundreds of guided meditations that will help you relive stress and get a solid night&#8217;s rest. It also provides inspirational pep-talks, sleep inducing music and stories, as well as gentle wake-up tracks. Using Breethe for just five minutes a day can improve your sleeping patterns, help with weight loss goals, improve your relationships, and much, much more.
<h1><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aura Premium Meditation App: Lifetime Subscription</a></h1>
<figure id="attachment_147907" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315561" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="wp-image-147907 size-full" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2019/01/Aura-Premium-App-On-Smart-Watch.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Aura</figcaption></figure>
If you&#8217;re serious about making your mental health a priority, then <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription-4_011619&amp;utm_term=scsf-315561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Aura Premium Meditation App</a> can help. Created by top meditation teachers and therapists, the app uses ground-breaking AI to help you relieve stress and anxiety via daily science-based mindfulness meditations. Aura is the only meditation app that uses machine learning to meet your specific needs and help you track your mood to better understand your own mental patterns and reach a greater equilibrium.
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

These high-tech meditation apps will help you take control of your mental health

These High-Tech Meditation Apps Will Help You Take Control of Your Mental Health

It's like having a meditation coach at your disposal 24/7.

Many people try to use meditation to do something to their brain. They want to quiet it, focus it, energize it, or zap some ideas into it. What some of those people don’t realize is that, while the end results of meditation can certainly do all those things to their brain, the first step in establishing a beneficial and long-term meditation practice is to start with an understanding of what is going on in that brain in the first place. 
In the past, that wasn’t easy to do. To get a glimpse inside the brain, doctors have to use electroencephalography, also known as EEG technology, to get a graph of the different waves traveling through there at any given time. Most people either didn’t have the access, funds, or time to get hooked up to EEG sensors to see what&#8217;s happening inside their head. Alternatively, they might lack a medical reason to do so at all. Now, though, with new affordable wearable technology like the <a href="https://choosemuse.com/">Muse headband</a>, people are able to get a glimpse of their brainwaves – and also personalized, data-driven feedback that will guide them in training their brain.
Brain training is a more critical part of meditation than most people realize. As the billions of neurons in the human brain travel throughout the organ’s complex networks, they communicate with each other via small electrical currents that produce a synchronized movement known as a brainwave. Neuroscientists learned that by placing electrodes on a person’s scalp, in the process known as EEG, they can track and visualize those waves. 
They’ve detected <a href="https://choosemuse.com/blog/a-deep-dive-into-brainwaves-brainwave-frequencies-explained/">five main types of brainwaves</a>, all occurring in different moments of consciousness. The slowest brain waves, delta waves, happen while you sleep – and are crucial for the rest and relaxation that your brain needs after working hard all day. At the other end of the spectrum are Gamma brainwaves, the fastest ones recorded by EEG. They are the waves considered the peak of physical or mental performance, the kind that occur when you feel like you’re “in the zone” at work, or have a sudden burst of inspiration.
While similarities exist between all human brains, scientists have recently begun to realize that the <a href="https://www.mindful.org/meditators-under-the-microscope/">brainwaves of highly experienced meditation practitioners</a>, such as Buddhist monks, are different than those of non-meditators. For most non-meditators, Gamma brainwaves happen infrequently, and often don’t last very long. But in experienced meditators, neuroscientists have observed that Gamma brainwaves are stronger and more regularly observed. Plus, they have more control over the ease at which they switch between waves. While non-meditators have to wait around for their &#8220;aha&#8221; moment to strike, it’s easier for long-term meditators to switch their brain into focus mode. 
Many of those experienced and enlightened meditators got there through hours of brain study, practice, and guidance. That’s a great path for some, but one that most people don’t have the funds, time, or access to pursue. For those people, there is <a href="https://choosemuse.com/?utm_source=futurism&amp;utm_medium=cpa&amp;utm_campaign=black_friday">Muse</a>. The sleek, portable headband uses seven small sensors to detect the brain’s electrical activity. Some wearable technology stops there – they simply clock how many steps you’ve taken that day, or how many hours of restful sleep you got. But Muse takes it one step further. In addition to clocking your brain’s activity, it uses a highly complex algorithm to deliver you real-time audio feedback during sessions and usable data metrics post-session to help you improve.
That real time feedback is the roadmap to establishing a meditation practice that can help minimize stress, focus the brain, and improve overall well being. The result is data-driven learning and real time feedback that doesn’t just give you the immediate benefits of a meditative session, but also the tools you need to train your brain to be more focused, rejuvenated, and mindful going forward.
Neuroscientists have already <a href="https://choosemuse.com/muse-research/?_ga=2.248507971.596452635.1542732824-761760776.1542732824">taken the highly portable product into to the field</a>. Researchers from MIT and Harvard have used Muse to learn more about <a href="https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=2769533">how the brain classifies pain</a>, and researchers from British Columbia <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/neurologist-treks-to-everest-to-study-monks-in-meditation-1.3015389?hootPostID=66922bae0d155c60e19d8f06935a1b8a">took Muse to Nepal</a> to better understand the minds of Buddhist monks.
But the beauty of the product is that it’s not just for neuroscientists. As long as you have a smart device, a few moments, and a brain, you can use it anywhere at any time. And now, you can use it more affordably. As part of a <a href="https://choosemuse.com/?utm_source=futurism&amp;utm_medium=cpa&amp;utm_campaign=black_friday">Black Friday deal,</a> you can get a Muse for just $159. It’s a deal so great that if it didn’t have everything to do with bettering your brain, it’d be called a no-brainer. 
 Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with Muse, who sponsored this post. This post does not reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

Brain training is a more critical part of meditation than most people realize.

Get the meditation headband neuroscientists love

Brands We Love

Many people try to use meditation to do something to their brain. They want to quiet it, focus it, energize it, or zap some ideas into it.

It's No Ancient Secret, a High-Tech Headband Can Help Train Your Brain to Meditate

Brainwaves of highly experienced meditation practitioners are different than those of non-meditators.

It’s No Ancient Secret, a High-Tech Headband Can Help Train Your Brain to Meditate

The holidays can be a very stressful time. So this year, why not give the gift of mental tranquility with the <a href="https://choosemuse.com/?utm_source=futurism&amp;utm_medium=cpa&amp;utm_campaign=black_friday">Muse </a>Brain Sensing Headband. It’s designed to act as a “personal meditation assistant” that helps guide users to a calmer mind. The app-controlled device is said to sense the real-time state of a user’s brain. It then analyzes the data to select the best meditative sounds to play through the device’s headphones. As a result, users “experience all the benefits of meditation – such as relaxation, improved mood and reduced stress – with none of the uncertainty.” The product also offers “personalized tracking, motivational challenges, and rewards that encourage you to build a more regular and effective practice.” And it’s the only gift on the list that might eventually lead the user down a path to total consciousness. So it’s got that going for it, which is nice. <a href="https://choosemuse.com/?utm_source=futurism&amp;utm_medium=cpa&amp;utm_campaign=black_friday">Buy Muse here</a>. 
Want more gift ideas? Check out the full <a href="https://futurism.com/gift-guide">2018 Futurism Gift Guide here!</a>
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with Muse, who sponsored this post. They help us keep the lights on. This post does not reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

The Muse Headband senses your brain and helps you mediate.

Muse headband: the personal meditation assistant

The muse headband is a “personal meditation assistant” that monitors your brain and helps guide you to a calmer, more peaceful state of mind.

Muse Headband: The Personal Meditation Assistant

The brain sensing headband is like a personal meditation assistant.

We&#8217;ll truly be pampered in the future: from imitation smoked salmon to legalized weed. What could we possibly have to complain about?
Here&#8217;s what inspired us in the world of science this week:
<a href="http://futurism.com/percentage-unvaccinated-toddlers-trippled-2001/">The Percentage of Unvaccinated U.S. Toddlers Has Quadrupled Since 2001.</a> Vaccination rates amongst children in the United States have decreased in recent years, according to a new report from the CDC.
<a href="http://futurism.com/fake-meat-fake-fish/">You&#8217;ve Heard of Fake Meat. How About Fake Fish?</a> A new Wall Street Journal story looks at the rise of imitation tuna, shrimp, and even smoked salmon. The surprise conclusion: It&#8217;s pretty convincing.
<a href="http://futurism.com/molecular-computation-smart-pills/">Get Ready for Pills Programmed to Respond to Your Cells&#8217; Individual Needs.</a> A new paper suggests it could be possible to create smart pills that tailor medical treatments perfectly to a patient&#8217;s needs.
<a href="http://futurism.com/five-products-science-meditation/">Five Products That Use Science to Maximize Your Meditation Sessions.</a> Practicing meditation can improve both physical and mental health, boost self control, and improve productivity. These science-focused products can help.
<a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/humanoid-robot-philosophy-course">A Humanoid Robot Gave a Lecture in a West Point Philosophy Course.</a> In 2017, Bina48 became the first AI-powered robot to complete a college-level course, and now, it&#8217;s the first to co-teach one.
<a href="http://futurism.com/canada-legalized-cannabis-science/">Canada Legalized Weed, and It Could Be a Huge Opportunity for Scientists.</a> On Wednesday, Canada legalized cannabis, and the move provided medical researchers with the opportunity to develop promising new treatments.
Read More: <a href="https://futurism.com/week-science-oct-6-oct-12/">This Week in Science: Oct 6 &#8211; Oct 12</a>

This week in science: Oct 13 - Oct 20

This Week in Science

From robots giving university-level lectures to pills programmed exactly to your cells' needs, here's what fascinated us in the world of science this week.

This Week in Science: Oct 13 – Oct 20

Imitation smoked salmon, robot lecturers, legalized weed, and more.

For some, the practice of meditation has negative connotations associated with new-age religions. And considering the practice has been endlessly promoted by conmen and religious hucksters as <a href="https://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2015/07/22/a-controversial-religion-claiming-supernatural-powers-st-louis-magicians-cry-fraud?page=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a way to achieve supernatural abilities</a>, this negativity should come as no surprise.
But in reality, meditation is an ancient practice that, in one way or another, has been used by most of the world&#8217;s mainstream religions. In its most basic form, meditation is nothing more than the act of consciously attempting to clear one&#8217;s mind and achieve emotional calm. In fact, when you boil it down, the basic act of meditation isn&#8217;t that different from what millions of non-practitioners already do while attempting to unwind (<a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20838122/why-you-should-try-meditating-while-running-and-how-to-do-it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">running</a>, sitting quietly, spacing out to <a href="https://qz.com/quartzy/1274667/neuroscience-shows-listening-to-music-has-kind-of-the-same-effect-as-meditation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">music</a>, etc.).
While basic meditation isn&#8217;t going to help you levitate or communicate with others via mental telepathy, it does offer <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/meditation-modern-life/201309/meditation-will-make-you-smarter-and-happier" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tangible benefits</a>. According to various studies, practicing meditation can, among other things,<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-it/201309/20-scientific-reasons-start-meditating-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> improve both physical and mental health, boost self control, and improve productivity</a>. Some studies even indicate that long-term meditation may benefit the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811909000044" target="_blank" rel="noopener">composition</a> of your brain.
Given the documented benefits of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/#7c3cc11e1465" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meditation</a>, it&#8217;s not surprising that (despite the scammers who have exploited the practice) <a href="http://time.com/4624276/yoga-workplace-mindfulness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interest in meditation</a> is on the rise – and so is the number of companies seeking to support this growing trend. While none of these products are necessary for meditation, they could aid in your meditative pursuits.
<h2>MUSE: The Brain Sensing Headband</h2>
<figure id="attachment_139799" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://shrsl.com/1829r"><img class="size-full wp-image-139799" src="https://wordpress.futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/muse.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Muse</figcaption></figure>
The <a href="http://shrsl.com/1829r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Muse Brain Sensing Headband</a> bills itself as a &#8220;personal meditation assistant&#8221; that helps guide users to a calmer mind. The app-controlled device purportedly senses the real-time state of a user&#8217;s brain, and then uses that data to select which meditative sounds will be heard through the accompanying headphones. As a result, users &#8220;experience all the benefits of meditation – such as relaxation, improved mood and reduced stress – with none of the uncertainty.&#8221;
The product also offers &#8220;personalized tracking, motivational challenges, and rewards that encourage you to build a more regular and effective practice.&#8221; As a result, users can &#8220;improve [their] meditation practice in as little as 3 minutes a day – any time, anywhere.&#8221;
<h2><a href="https://gravityblankets.com/products/the-gravity-sleep-mask?utm_source=Futurism&amp;utm_medium=Affiliate">Gravity: Weighted Mask</a></h2>
<figure id="attachment_139998" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://gravityblankets.com/products/the-gravity-sleep-mask?utm_source=Futurism&amp;utm_medium=Affiliate"><img class="wp-image-139998 size-large" src="https://wordpress.futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Mask_2-1200x971.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="971" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Gravity</figcaption></figure>
Unlike the other products on this list, the <a href="https://gravityblankets.com/products/the-gravity-sleep-mask?utm_source=Futurism&amp;utm_medium=Affiliate">Gravity Weighted Sleep Mask</a> doesn&#8217;t come with wires or LED lights, but its benefits are rooted in science. The mask is built to evenly distribute 0.75-1lb of weight lightly across your face, helping to calm the nervous system by engaging key relaxation pressure points. It leverages deep touch pressure stimulation, a well-regarded therapeutic method that stimulates points on the body linked to improved sleep, mood, and relaxation. While it&#8217;s billed as a sleep mask, this all makes it a great tool for meditation.
Deep touch pressure stimulation has been shown to increase serotonin and melatonin, the hormones responsible for calming relaxation, while decreasing cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress. This natural, physiological approach decreases heart rate, blood pressure, and more, improving mood and promoting restful sleep and relaxation. The design of the mask also ensures all light is blocked out.
<h2>MindPlace Kasina DeepVision Bundle</h2>
<figure id="attachment_139801" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://amzn.to/2CmwMpI"><img class="size-full wp-image-139801" src="https://wordpress.futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mindplace1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Amazon</figcaption></figure>
Traditionally, the term &#8220;<a href="http://www.greatwesternvehicle.org/kasina.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kasiṇa</a>&#8221; refers to a colorful, circular object such as a disk which is used as a meditation aid. While references to kasina can be found in some of the earliest Buddhist texts, modern audio-visual technology is putting a futuristic spin on this ancient technique.
MindPlace, a Washington-based company that has been developing meditation aids since 1988, has combined two of its most popular products in the <a href="https://amzn.to/2CmwMpI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kasina DeepVision Bundle.</a> First, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mindplace-Kasina-Mind-Media-System/dp/B00GU1W8AS/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kasina Mind Media System</a> uses back-lit, LCD display glasses, and high-quality headphones to provide users with a synchronized light and sound experience. Next, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/MindPlace-Kasina-DeepVision-Ganzfeld-display/dp/B015RXOMWQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kasina DeepVision Ganzfeld Display</a> takes the experience to a whole new level by blocking out ambient light and filling the user&#8217;s entire field of view &#8220;with pure, jewel-like colors and dancing patterns.&#8221; As a result, the Kasina DeepVision Bundle allows quick access to deep, tranquil states and greatly reduces the distractions of the outside world.
<h2 id="title" class="a-size-large a-spacing-none">AcousticSheep SleepPhones Wireless</h2>
<figure id="attachment_139803" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://shrsl.com/184jn"><img class="size-full wp-image-139803" src="https://wordpress.futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/sleephones1.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Amazon</figcaption></figure>
<a href="http://shrsl.com/184jn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AcousticSheep SleepPhones</a> were invented by a family physician with the goal of helping patients fall asleep faster without the use of sleeping pills. However, while the product might be geared toward people with insomnia and other sleep-related issues, it also works as a highly effective meditation aid.
AcousticSheep SleepPhones feature ultra thin, high-quality, Bluetooth-enabled speakers which are tucked inside a lightweight, machine washable headband. As a result, users can listen to calming music or other meditation-related audio wirelessly, without the need for uncomfortable headphones or bulky earbuds. As an added bonus, the product also doubles as an eye mask, which makes it even easier to focus inward.
<h2>DAVID Delight Pro with Multi-Color Eyeset</h2>
<figure id="attachment_139805" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://amzn.to/2IWLZz8"><img class="size-full wp-image-139805" src="https://wordpress.futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/david-delight.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Amazon</figcaption></figure>
Like some of the other products on this list, the <a href="https://amzn.to/2IWLZz8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DAVID Delight Pro with Multi-Color Eyeset</a> combines light and sound to create a sensory experience conducive to meditation and relaxation. However, unlike its competitors, this patented product also has a dual frequency brain stimulator with &#8220;a proprietary randomization process, which helps encourage dissociation and brain frequency tracking to the stimulus.&#8221;
According to MindAlive, the creators of the device, it can also be used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, stress, ADD, and many other ailments. But because it also (optionally) features cranial-electro stimulation (CES), a small, pulsed electrical current generated directly onto your head, it&#8217;s not recommended for anyone with a history of epilepsy or seizures unless it is used under strict medical supervision.
As mentioned above, the products we&#8217;ve covered aren&#8217;t necessary for the practice of meditation. In fact, meditation requires nothing but an open mind. But for anyone interested in using technology as a meditative aid, these products are a great place to start.
Futurism fans: To create this content, a non-editorial team worked with an affiliate partner. We may collect a small commission on items purchased through this page. This post does not necessarily reflect the views or the endorsement of the Futurism.com editorial staff.

Long-term meditation may even benefit the composition of your brain.

Five products that use science to maximize your meditation sessions

Practicing meditation can improve both physical and mental health, boost self control, and improve productivity. These science-focused products can help.

Five Products That Use Science to Maximize Your Meditation Sessions

These meditative aids put a futuristic spin on an ancient practice. 

<div class="disclaimer">Futurism only supports companies that we trust. <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription_070117&amp;utm_term=scsf-236540">Aura Premium</a> is one of those companies.  We may collect a share of the sales from the items featured on this page. Sign up for Aura Premium <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription_070117&amp;utm_term=scsf-236540">here</a>.  </div>
<h2>A New Way to Think</h2>
<a href="https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/" target="_blank">Mindful meditation</a> is becoming an increasingly popular tool, one that people use to manage both their emotional and mental health. The practice is, in essence, the art of not reacting—the art of finding inner stillness through the use of external stillness. It’s taking the time to close your eyes, turn your focus inward, and put all of your energy into just breathing.
It’s an incredibly simple practice that doesn’t take much time at all, and it is incredibly helpful. In <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735811001115" target="_blank">a study published in Clinical Psychology Review</a>, researchers at Boston University and Harvard Medical School found that the technique helps alleviate anxiety and allows individuals to better cope with stressful situations. Similarly, in a study from <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01551/full" target="_blank">Frontiers in Psychology</a>, researchers found that individuals who meditate have more gray matter volume in their brains than those that do not.
Yet, only <a href="https://nccih.nih.gov/research/statistics/NHIS/2012/mind-body/meditation" target="_blank">18 million Americans</a> report their participation. Unfortunately, the reality for many <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w20449" target="_blank">overworked Americans</a> is that relaxation is a luxury. Indeed, 92 % of the country still hasn’t caught onto the trend. It&#8217;s a surprising statistic considering the fact that meditation has been proven to increase concentration, decrease anxiety, and even help to <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01551/full" target="_blank">preserve the aging brain</a>.
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<h2>Finding the Time</h2>
Over the last few years, there have been a variety of apps that have aimed to close the gap between people who make time for meditation and the people who don’t know how to fit it into their lives. And while many of the apps that have hit the market have effective qualities, few are as impressive and progressive as <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription_070117&amp;utm_term=scsf-236540" target="_blank">Aura Premium</a>—the app created by meditation teachers and therapists that actually gets to know you, so it can help you better.
The AI-infused app is programmed to take post-session feedback information and use it to become a dynamic tool that assists with your mental health. Each time you use the app, it creates more pathways for you to get better at finding your zen.
And while anyone who’s into mindful meditation will appreciate the app for its relaxation enhancers, it’s most appealing for people who are new to meditation and need guidance. All users need is three minutes a day to practice, though you can also choose 7 and 10-minute meditation durations as well.
The app is mostly geared towards helping its users get into a better headspace through exercises, breathing routines, and key spoken words—though it also has the ability to track user’s moods to help them see patterns and form connections.
Aura is essentially like having a portable guide in your pocket. And it’s been so successful in helping its users find inner peace, it was rated the best new app for February 2017 with thousands of nearly perfect ratings. For $59.99 on <a href="https://stacksocial.com/sales/aura-premium-lifetime-subscription?aid=a-wmceeqco&amp;utm_source=futurism.com&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=aura-premium-lifetime-subscription_070117&amp;utm_term=scsf-236540" target="_blank">StackSocial</a>, you can get a lifetime subscription to the app and start your journey to better mental health.

Human mind

When meditation teachers and therapists get together to create an app that's infused with artificial intelligence, you know it's worth downloading.

There’s A New Way to Use Meditation to Reshape Your Brain

In case you missed it, meditation literally alters how much gray matter you have. 

Neuroplasticity is the idea that you can alter your brain in a physical and mental way by changing its stimuli — which can include environment, behavior, thought patterns or other parts of the body that have an impact on it. While this is a fairly old idea — the term and concept that the brain was not fixed post-puberty was first used in 1890 by William James in The Principles of Psychology — it is only due to the introduction of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that we can accurately quantify the effects of different stimuli. So, what are some of the ways we can mould our minds?
<h2>The Effects of Meditation</h2>
There have been many <a href="https://futurism.com/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-reduces-stress-and-literally-changes-your-brain/">studies into the effect of meditation on mental well-being</a>.
Combating mental illnesses as much as anti-depressants: <a href="http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1809754">a study by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health</a> tested the effect of meditation on a variety of mental health issues and found that after eight weeks, it improved anxiety by 0.38, depression by 0.3, and pain by 0.33. While this is not a huge margin, it is as effective as anti-depressant drugs or exercise, which means that doctors have another tool in their arsenal, and can recommend an alternative treatment for those who cannot exercise and/or do not want to take drugs.
<a href="https://futurism.com/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-reduces-stress-and-literally-changes-your-brain/">Increasing grey matter</a> and combating aging: a study in <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01551/full">Frontiers of Psychology</a> shows that meditation can increase the volume of grey matter in the brain significantly. Florian Kurth, a University of California Postdoctoral Scholar in Neurology, one of the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/#4bdabf4b1465">authors of the study, said</a>, &#8220;We expected rather small and distinct effects [&#8230;] what we actually observed was a widespread effect of meditation that encompassed regions throughout the entire brain.&#8221; This was <a href="https://scholar.harvard.edu/sara_lazar/home">enforced by Sara Lazar</a>, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/?utm_term=.ca769e422a14">who found that</a> &#8220;in this one region of the prefrontal cortex, 50-year-old meditators had the same amount of grey matter as 25-year-olds.&#8221; In a world that researchers estimate will see <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2012/dementia_20120411/en/">115 million people suffering from dementia by 2050</a>, meditation could be a non-drug dependent treatment for those experiencing the disease.
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Decreasing selfishness: <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/20254.full">a study carried out at Yale</a> showed that activity in the Default Mode Network was decreased by meditation. The Default Mode Network is the part of the brain associated with mind-wandering and often leads to self-referential thoughts. It was &#8220;relatively deactivated&#8221; in experienced meditators, increasing their level of concentration, loving-kindness, and choiceless awareness through specific meditation methods. In a world that sometimes seems to be driven by selfishness, meditation may provide a way to remind ourselves of others.
Overcoming smoking addiction: <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/110/34/13971.short">a study by the Psychology Department</a> at the University of Texas has found that &#8220;among smokers, 2 wk of meditation training (5 h in total) produced a significant reduction in smoking of 60%&#8221; and that it also had a positive impact on self-control. Millions of deaths a year are caused by smoking, and hundreds of dollars are spent on various treatments; meditation provides a free method that could save both lives and money.
<h2>What Does Exercise Do for You?</h2>
Regular aerobic exercise (the exercise that gets you sweaty with an elevated heart rate) has been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus — the area of the brain associated with verbal memory and learning. While it has been known that exercise has positive mental effects, a study at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of the first that has shown that &#8220;regular exercise of moderate intensity over six months or a year is associated with an increase in the volume of selected brain regions” <a href="http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110">says Dr. Scott McGinnis</a>, a practicing neurologist at Brigham and Women&#8217;s Hospital and neurology instructor at Harvard Medical School. Not all exercise will work though — the study specifies that &#8220;resistance training, balance and muscle toning exercises did not have the same results.&#8221;
Exercise benefits the brain in many ways. It stimulates growth factors, which are chemicals in the brain that are connected to brain cells&#8217; health, growing new blood vessels, and creating new brain cells It improves mood and sleep patterns along with helping with anxiety and stress reduction (all these areas affect your cognitive power). The best part of the UBC study is that it focused on one of the easiest methods of exercise: walking. Those who participated in the study saw results from going for a brisk, hour-long walk twice a week. It&#8217;s recommended that you get 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, which is less daunting if you consider that&#8217;s only 21 minutes a day.
Exercising your body will exercise your brain too — it&#8217;s a win-win.

Health & Medicine

Neuroplasticity is the idea that we can shape our brains mentally and physically through controlling our stimulus. Meditation and physical exercise have been shown as two of the most effective ways of doing this.

You Have the Power to Physically Reshape Your Brain

Your brain needs exercise just like your body.

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<h2>The Power of Thought</h2>
Meditation, in its most basic sense, is clearing your mind of all thought—or at least, trying to. The practice is used in cultures around the globe for both religious and secular purposes. While it may be best known for its spiritual uses, it is this latter purpose that has recently ignited a firestorm of interest, as scientific research seems to indicate that meditation changes your brain on a fundamental, biological level.
Dr. Robert Puff, a licensed clinical psychologist, notes in <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/meditation-modern-life/201307/overview-meditation-its-origins-and-traditions">Psychology Today</a> that descriptions of meditation techniques date back at least some 3,000 years, to Indian scriptures written in approximately 1000 BCE. However, the practice itself appears to be far, far older. Some evidence suggests that individuals were describing the practice as long as 5,000 years ago. Unfortunately, the exact date of its inception is lost to the annals of time, but we do know that it wasn&#8217;t until the 6th century BCE that it truly started its global spread. And it wasn&#8217;t until the 20th century that mainstream scientists started researching the impact that it has on the human body—specifically, the impact it has on the human brain.
<q class="pullquote">&#8220;Our data shows changes in the brain after just eight weeks.&#8221;</q>
To date, a host of medical uses have been found for meditation. The most obvious use is, perhaps, stress management and reduction, which is supported by a plethora of scientific evidence. In <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735811001115">a study published in Clinical Psychology Review</a>, researchers at Boston University and Harvard Medical School found that the technique helps alleviate anxiety and allows individuals to better cope with stressful situations.
Along these same lines, a 2011 study by Dr. Fadel Zeidan, assistant professor of neurobiology and anatomy at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, found that meditation helps individuals cope with, and better tolerate, physical pain. This work was published in <a href="http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/14/5540">the Journal of  Neuroscience.</a> But this is just the start of the research that has been conducted in relation to meditation.
<h2>Transforming the Human Brain</h2>
In a 2015 study published in <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01551/full">Frontiers in Psychology</a>, researchers from UCLA found that individuals who meditate over extended periods have more gray matter volume in their brains than those that do not. The work looked at individuals who been meditating for an average of 20 years, and the impact was pronounced. As study author Florian Kurth notes:
<blockquote>We expected rather small and distinct effects located in some of the regions that had previously been associated with meditating. Instead, what we actually observed was a widespread effect of meditation that encompassed regions throughout the entire brain.</blockquote>
Other studies support these findings. A 2011 study in <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/20254.short">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, which was conducted by Yale University, discovered that meditation decreases activity in the default mode network (DMN) in the brain. In the paper, the team noted that this reveals the actual biological impact of meditation and helps bring to light &#8220;a unique understanding of possible neural mechanisms of meditation.&#8221;
And still, the evidence does not end.
Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, recently conducted work which found that individuals who meditate ultimately have more gray matter in the frontal cortex and, most notably, that this gray matter is preserved in spite of aging. The significance is overwhelming. As Lazar asserts in an interview with the<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/05/26/harvard-neuroscientist-meditation-not-only-reduces-stress-it-literally-changes-your-brain/?utm_term=.ca769e422a14"> Washington Post</a>, &#8220;It’s well-documented that our cortex shrinks as we get older – it’s harder to figure things out and remember things. But in this one region of the prefrontal cortex, 50-year-old meditators had the same amount of gray matter as 25-year-olds.&#8221;
In other words, as a result of transformations in the brain, individual who meditate have a better chance of retaining their memory function in old age. And it doesn&#8217;t take much for individuals to reap the benefits. Lazar states that, in her study, the average meditation time was just 27 minutes a day and results were obtained just 8 weeks after the individuals started the practice. So, how can you reap the benefits?
<h2>Becoming Mindful</h2>
Scientists assert that using proprioceptive input (also know as <a href="http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html" target="_blank">deep touch pressure (DTP)</a>) to ground your body is helpful when attempting to reach a meditative state. <a href="https://youtu.be/_MbXvvIG9DQ" target="_blank">Research has shown</a> that this kind of pressure results in a reduction in cortisol levels and an increase in serotonin production, decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
Thus, the relaxed physical state that comes from peroprioceptive input can make it easier to achieve a calm mental state that’s conducive to meditation, and one of the most effective ways to get this proprioceptive input is by using a weighted blanket.
As Amber Martin, an occupational therapist from Utica College, notes, &#8220;peroprioceptive input is good for pretty much everyone and anyone. It can be very calming and organizing.&#8221; By helping you reach a state of peaceful relaxation more quickly, the blankets make it easier for you to take advantage of every valuable moment of meditation before you have to return to the busy world outside your mind.
There’s little debate in the science regarding the benefits of meditation. According <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17563161" target="_blank">to research published</a> in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, meditation has been linked to reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and physical pain.
Other studies have explored connections between meditation and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742737/" target="_blank">improved focus</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17107296" target="_blank">lowered blood pressure</a>, <a href="http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/S0925-4927(10)00288-X/pdf" target="_blank">strengthened memory</a>, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267035" target="_blank">reduced fatigue</a>, and…well, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12883106" target="_blank">the list goes on and on</a>. Yet, reaching a meditative state generally takes a lot of work, and truly clearing your mind is far from easy. <a href="http://www.gravityblankets.com">A weighted blanket</a> is just one thing that can help you get there.

The fiber tracts involved in aging. The splenium and genu of the corpus callosum, the fornix and the cingulum bundle. Human subject

There’s little debate in science regarding the benefits of meditation. It has been linked to reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and physical pain.

Harvard Neuroscientist: Meditation Reduces Stress and Literally Changes Your Brain

"Our data shows changes in the brain after just eight weeks."

<div class="disclaimer">Futurism only supports products that we use and love. The Gravity Blanket is one of those products.  A subsidiary of Futurism launched this product and Futurism collects a share of the sales from the items featured on this page. <a href="https://gravityblankets.com/" target="_blank">Shop Gravity Now</a></div>
<h2>Free of Burden</h2>
There&#8217;s little debate in the science regarding the benefits of meditation. According <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17563161">to research published</a> in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, meditation has been linked to reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and physical pain.
Other studies have explored connections between meditation and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742737/" target="_blank">improved focus</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17107296" target="_blank">lowered blood pressure</a>, <a href="http://www.psyn-journal.com/article/S0925-4927(10)00288-X/pdf" target="_blank">strengthened memory</a>, <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/2153599X.2016.1267035" target="_blank">reduced fatigue</a>, and&#8230;well, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12883106">the list goes on and on</a>.
<q class="pullquote">Studies by other scientists reveal that meditation can help enhance attention and emotion regulation skills.</q>
And this is just the beginning. As <a href="https://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~lazar/">Sara Lazar</a>, a neuroscientist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, notes, meditation literally transforms your brain: &#8220;We found differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions&#8230;in the group that learned meditation, we found thickening in four regions. Studies by other scientists have shown that meditation can help enhance attention and emotion regulation skills.&#8221;
But there&#8217;s a problem. At its core, meditation sounds like the easiest thing in the world: Clear your mind and think about nothing at all. However, meditating can be far more difficult than simply breathing in and out for a few minutes. Reaching a meditative state actually takes a lot of work, and truly clearing your mind is far from easy.
However, scientists assert that using proprioceptive input (also know as <a href="http://www.grandin.com/inc/squeeze.html" target="_blank">deep touch pressure (DTP)</a>) to ground your body is helpful when attempting to reach a meditative state. <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1620645203/gravity-the-weighted-blanket-for-sleep-stress-and" target="_blank">Research has shown</a> that this kind of pressure results in a reduction in cortisol levels and an increase in serotonin production, decreasing your heart rate and blood pressure.
Thus, the <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1620645203/gravity-the-weighted-blanket-for-sleep-stress-and">relaxed physical state</a> that comes from peroprioceptive input can make it easier to achieve a calm mental state that&#8217;s conducive to meditation, and one of the most effective ways to get this proprioceptive input is by using a weighted blanket.
<h2>Good for the Mind and Body</h2>
The blankets are filled with poly pellets in an evenly distributed grid pattern that is engineered to be roughly 10 percent of your body weight. This added weight allows the blanket to apply specifically targeted pressure to various points throughout your body in order to reduce the aforementioned cortisol levels and increase your serotonin production.
As Amber Martin, an occupational therapist from Utica College, notes, &#8220;peroprioceptive input is good for pretty much everyone and anyone. It can be very calming and organizing.&#8221; By helping you reach a state of peaceful relaxation more quickly, the blanket makes it easier for you to take advantage of every valuable moment of meditation before you have to return to the busy world outside your mind.
Though researchers estimate that it has been <a href="http://www.chopra.com/articles/history-meditation#sm.0000rbuhulj9gf50vmb1kcz775b62" target="_blank">around for more than 5,000 years</a>, meditation has recently found itself the subject of <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/feeling-it/201309/20-scientific-reasons-start-meditating-today" target="_blank">intense scientific focus</a>. Scientists have used all the tools in their arsenal, from fMRIs to EEGs, to uncover the science behind this practice and determine how productive it really is in relation to the human body.
They&#8217;ve reached some interesting conclusions about the positive benefits that it provides. <a href="http://www.gravityblankets.com">Weighted blankets can help you get there</a>, and significantly help your mind and body as a result.

Man in yoga pose with meridians painted on body

Free of Burden There’s little debate in the science regarding the benefits of meditation. According to research published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, meditation has been linked to reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and physical pain. Other studies have explored connections between meditation and improved focus, lowered blood pressure, strengthened memory, reduced fatigue, and…well, the list goes […]

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