Director of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Dr. Savitha Bonthala recently gave a presentation on mindfulness, where she explained, “Meditation is considered a general term that covers a wide range of practices to help with awareness. There are hundreds of kinds of practices like relaxation concentration, visual imagery, and breathwork.”
Dr. Bonthala went on to share more information and benefits of mindfulness, including:
- It has been around for over 5,000 years
- It can be done by anyone regardless of age, background, or diagnosis
- Research shows it can change a person’s physiological state, meaning it increases their parasympathetic system, responsible for rest and digest, while decreases their sympathetic system, responsible for fight or flight response
- Research shows it can affect neuroplasticity, our brains ability to form new connections after trauma
- It can help reduce stress, chronic pain, and addictive behaviors
- It can help you deal with negative emotions and cope with painful life events
- It can improve attention and concentration and enhance performance
- It can increase the immune system, self-awareness, and creativity
See for Yourself!
Watch Dr. Bonthala’s entire presentation for more information and references to research that shows how mindfulness practices in conjunction with traditional therapies can help brain injury patients. You can even participate in her breathwork and meditative practice to experience what patients are participating in at Nexus Neurorecovery Center!
Meditation is just one aspect of our Integrative Medicine Program. Be on the lookout for more details!