Could meditation really help slow the ageing process?
bzichettExperiential avoidance is the natural tendency to suppress painful memories, thoughts, emotions and sensations in an effort to gain temporary relief from psychological discomfort. In fact, this mental shying away seems to cause greater problems for us in the long-run. By contrast, mindfulness – both in its original Buddhist context and in modern therapeutic programmes for treating conditions such as chronic pain, depression and drug addiction – involves turning one’s attention towards unpleasant physical and mental experiences in a spirit of nonjudgmental acceptance. So it’s particularly interesting that the Spanish study found that experiential avoidance seemingly leads to faster shortening of telomeres.
A study published in 2013 found that just 15 minutes’ meditation in novices had immediate effects on the expression of many genes, for example increasing the activity of the gene that makes telomerase and reducing the activity of genes involved in inflammatory and stress responses. It’s amazing what sitting still with your eyes closed and focusing on your breath can do for your cells.