BRAIN CHEMICALS AND MEDITATION

  The PATNAJALI Sutra Yoga is also called Raj Yoga Sutra  and has instruction for mediation and what happens when you have achieved highest levels of concentration or Samadhi. But modern day science has done some investigation on the meditation and try to find it's effects on mind and body. There are many chemicals that are involved in brain function or the response of the brain to certain situations. It is well known that the mediation causes mind to be calmer and the blood pressure  and heart rate are down  and there are certain health benefits of the meditation. So, I thought of talking about the science of these chemicals . 

  There are many chemicals in brain , but some important ones are DOPAMIN which has function of pleasure , SEROTOTINE which has function in happiness  and then there is GABA which is related to Calmness of the mind . The NOR-EPINEPHRIN is a chemical which is related to physical or mental agitation and it is increased in conditions like Anxiety disorder or PTSD. So the studies have been done on these chemicals and it was noted that those who did the mediations for longer time years etc. had higher levels of Serotonin and that was detected before mediation and it increased after meditation. The urinary excretion was increased . As mentioned above serotonin is related to HAPPINESS. The good chemicals Dopamine, Serotonin, GABA - all were increased and when functional MRI was done then  it showed certain areas of the brain light up showing increased blood flow and then secretions of these chemicals . So the effect on Body and Mind was that of lower blood pressure , heart rate  and calmness of the mind . The blood sugar was also lower as cortisol levels were also reduced . The cortisol is a stress hormone as we need higher blood pressure and heart rate  and sugar to fight physical stress .  

    So the chemicals that make us agitated are reduced and chemicals that make us calmer are increased. But the areas of brain are involved in decision making, are also improved. So the mediation has value in our modern day stressful life to handle mental and physical stress.