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In terms of using your physical brain, mindfulness asks that you deliberately shift control of your thoughts and actions from your limbic system — the emotional, fear-driven part of your brain — to the conscious awareness of your frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is essentially your higher-level “humanness.” Mindfulness repeatedly activates your thinking brain. Because of neuroplasticity, the two regions become more connected and pathways better established in your brain. This allows your frontal lobe more control over the limbic system. With regular mindfulness practice, frontal lobe activation becomes the go-to default for your emotional responses, and your brain becomes calmer, less reactive and anxious, and more resilient.
Studies have shown mindfulness to significantly improve a variety of conditions including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Mindfulness has also proven successful in preventing relapse of chronic depression and substance abuse.
