Scientists report that the meditating brain can control core body temperature, a finding that could help in boosting immunity to fight infectious diseases or immunodeficiency.
A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Maria Kozhevnikov from the Department of Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) studied Tibetan nuns practising a form of meditation known as g-tummo.
G-tummo meditation is believed by adherents to control “inner energy”. Tibetan practitioners consider g-tummo meditation as one of the most sacred spiritual practices in the region and monasteries maintaining g-tummo traditions are very rare, mostly located in the remote areas of eastern Tibet.
The scientists observed a unique ceremony in Tibet, where meditating nuns were able to raise their core body temperature and dry up wet sheets wrapped around their bodies in the cold Himalayan weather of minus 25 degree Celsius.
While g-tummo meditation practitioners have been studied before, previous results showed only increases in peripheral body temperature in the fingers and toes. Now, publishing in the journal PLOS ONE, the researchers document reliable core body temperature increases in the meditating Tibetan nuns.
Using electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and temperature measures, the team observed increases in core body temperature up to 38.3 degree Celsius. A second study was conducted with Western participants who used a breathing technique of the g-tummo meditative practice and they were also able to increase their core body temperature, within limits.
The findings from the study showed that specific aspects of the meditation techniques could be used by non-meditation practitioners to regulate their body temperature through breathing and mental imagery. The techniques could potentially allow practitioners to adapt to and function in cold environments, improve resistance to infections, boost cognitive performance by speeding up response time and reduce performance problems associated with decreased body temperature.
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Read the full article at: asianscientist.com
