Daily Meditation Can Lead to Lifelong Results
A recent study from the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) reports that an hour of meditation a day can lead to staggering cognitive results that last up to seven years.
Lead author Anthony Zanesco, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Miami who earned his doctoral degree from UC Davis in 2017, notes that this groundbreaking study is the first to offer evidence that continued meditation can be linked to sustained attention, response and long-term cognitive change.
The study was based on the Shamatha Project, a longitudinal investigation of the effects of meditation led by research at UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain. It followed 60 experienced meditators who attended a three-month meditation retreat with two group sessions and an additional six-hour personal session. The researchers followed up immediately, six months after, 18 months after and seven years after. At the most recent seven-year mark, the participants who had kept up with about one hour a day of meditation still partially showed the same cognitive gains and attentiveness as before. The study was published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement.
So, how can meditation benefit you or your clients? If you’re struggling to stay attentive in a professional setting, meditation may be part of your solution. According to Forbes, notable professionals including Ray Dalio and Fred Wilson credit daily meditation to their success. It’s something to think about implementing into your professional practice.
Savannah Patton
Savannah Patton is the ICF Communications Assistant and a freelance writer for Kentucky Sports Radio. She graduated in May 2016 from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in Integrated Strategic Communications with a focus in Public Relations.
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