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I like to start every day off with meditation. It’s a guaranteed few moments of peace for myself. Other times a moment of practiced breathing techniques between recording summit interviews, a patient visit, or dropping my daughter off at school is all that I need to regain my focus.
Mindfulness practices can provide comfort and improve the quality of life for those with dementia and for their caregivers. They can contribute to increased gray matter density and enhanced connectivity between different regions of the brain.
I love that it’s an act that can be done together. The staff and residents at Marama spend time every day doing one of my favorite, research-backed meditation practices – a 12-minute Kirtan Kriya practice.
Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa and Dr. Andrew Newberg’s research found Kirtan Kiyra meditation specifically is a crucial component in the development of enhanced cognition and well-being. Kirtan Kirya’s impact on the brain are changes in the frontal lobes that regulate emotional responses and in the thalamus which helps regulate information flow in the nervous system. This may help prevent and reverse cognitive decline.
“When we brought people back after doing the practice for about eight weeks as part of our study, even at rest, their brain had more function in their frontal lobes, even when they weren’t meditating” quoted Dr. Newberg by Jefferson Health.
Another study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that Kirtan Kirya meditation not only improved memory, cognitive function, quality of life, sleep, stress, and mood, but also affected the blood biomarker of Beta-amyloid 40 that is linked as a potential predictor of Alzheimer’s disease.
How can you learn Kirtan Kirya?
It’s easy! Use this video guide of Kirtan Kirya and/or these written instructions from the Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation.
Take a Breath
Breathing exercises or breathwork is another practice backed by research for its benefits on cognitive function. “We know the sympathetic [fight or flight] and parasympathetic systems [rest and digest] influence the production and clearance of Alzheimer’s related peptides and proteins,” said USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Professor Mara Mather in an article by the University of Southern California on breathing exercises and alzheimer’s risk.
Deep and slow breathing improved all measurements of retention and attention, working memory, and spatial perception in participants aged 65 and older according to a study published just last year.
Another study found that daily breathing exercises may help release peptides in the bloodstream which could lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease according to this study.
There’s so much evidence that adding just one or a few of these mindfulness techniques into your day will improve cognitive performance. And for those of you that are caregiving, a few moments of practice can give you a moment of peace and resilience for all the difficulties you face in a day.
Warmly,
Dr. Heather Sandison
P.S. – Energy expert, Ari Whitten, M.S. is offering a free webinar this Thursday all about 10-minute morning breathwork practice! In this personalized webinar, you’ll learn how to breathe for vibrancy, longevity, balanced mood, boosted metabolism, and better fitness…plus, how to test your current respiratory function and whether it contributes to low energy and chronic disease. Click here to save your spot in Breathing for Energy: How To Dramatically Increase Your Energy and Squash Anxiety In Just 10 Minutes A Day.
