Meditation can physically alter your brain - here's how to start the habit

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Mindfulness is much more than breathing slow steady breaths in time with a counter. It physically alters our brain patterns. Researchers have indicated that a frequent and sustained mindfulness practice may rewire our brains and that this rewiring has the potential for individuals to alter their reactions to their environment and experiences, leading to a better quality of life with improved memory and attention.

As mindfulness has increased in popularity in recent years, we would expect to have a firm grasp on the concept, but it is perhaps not as understood as one would expect. “Different people will define mindfulness differently,” says Brendan Clarke, senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist at Evidence-Based Therapy Centre in Galway.