Can Mindfulness Meditation Improve Working Memory?
Researchers from Nova Southeastern University examined the impact of a one-week, at home, mindfulness meditation training, as compared to an active control condition, on improving working memory, decreasing mind-wandering and reducing the impact of stress on working memory.
The results suggest that mindfulness meditation does not increase working memory or decrease mind wandering, but it does prevent stress related working memory impairments.
Mindfulness meditation appears to alter the factors that impair working memory such that the negative impact of mind wandering on working memory was only evident at higher levels of negative affect.
The results support the use of an at home mindfulness meditation intervention for reducing stress-related memory impairments.
Citation: Banks JB1, Welhaf MS2, Srour A2. The protective effects of brief mindfulness meditation training. Consciousness and Cognition. 2015 May; 33: pp.277-85. Epub 2015 Feb 10. [email protected]
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