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Experts link spiritual wellbeing and meditative practice to better cognitive health
June 7, 2021
- Experts reviewed research demonstrating how simple psychological practices affect cognitive health.
- Researchers particularly focused on spiritual fitness and a type of meditation known as Kirtan Kriya.
- Citing numerous studies, the review team elaborated how these practices can be used as valuable tools in interventions to improve cognitive health and prevent Alzheimer’s Disease.
A new research review published in March 2021 has demonstrated how spiritual fitness and meditation can mitigate the negative effects of stress and lower the risk of memory loss, cognitive impairment, and even Alzheimer’s disease.
More than 50 million people around the world live with Alzheimer’s or some other type of dementia. This number is projected to shoot up to 152 million by 2050.
While research in this area has been intensifying, drugs that can substantially prevent or reverse cognitive decline are yet to be discovered. Nevertheless, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that addressing certain lifestyle and vascular risk factors may have a beneficial effect on general cognitive wellbeing.
In the review that was published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, experts examined research linking spiritual wellbeing to a reduction of multiple risk factors of Alzheimer’s Disease.
“Mitigating the extensive negative biochemical effects of stress with meditation practices, in tandem with the creation of heightened levels of spiritual fitness, may help lower the risk of AD. Small shifts in one’s daily routine can make all the difference in AD prevention,” said Dr. Khalsa and Dr. Newberg, two of the review’s authors.
The scientists particularly analyzed the impact of spiritual fitness and Kirtan Kriya. Spiritual fitness is considered to be a new concept in medicine that focuses on psychological and spiritual wellbeing. Kirtan Kriya – on the other hand — is a 12-minute singing meditation involving four sounds along with breathing and repetitive finger movements.
The research team discussed how these two factors affect brain function and cognition.
For instance, psychological wellbeing has been shown to lower inflammation as well as the risk of cardiovascular disease and disability. ‘Purpose in Life’ (PIL) has been found to be one of the more important components of psychological wellbeing. Individuals who have a high PIL score are 2.4 times more likely to remain free of Alzheimer’s than those with a low score. In other studies — a higher PIL score was noted to lead to better cognitive function as well as protect participants who already had existing conditions (thus slowing their decline).
Kirtan Kriya has numerous documented benefits. It improves sleep, reduces depression, enhances general wellbeing, and increases blood flow to areas of the brain that are responsible for cognition and emotional regulation. The practice also increases grey matter volume and reduces ventricular size in long-term practitioners – which can help slow down brain aging. Studies involving healthy participants, caregivers, and people who already have cognitive decline have demonstrated the clear advantages that this practice presents for memory, cognition, and mood.
More work is however needed to better understand the link between spiritual fitness and physical and mental health as the emerging field of study called Neurotheology continues to develop. For now, though, the authors hope that existing evidence will inspire clinicians, scientists, and patients alike to embrace spiritual fitness and include it in interventions to prevent cognitive disability.
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