"There is a pressing need for a rigorous investigation of how meditation affects brain function." Professor Jim Lagopoulos, Sydney University, studied electrical brain waves in Acem meditators. There was an abundance of theta waves in the frontal and middle parts of the brain, different from ordinary relaxation.
People who meditate become more adept at handling disturbing thoughts, according to a recent overview article on neurobiological research. More activity in the brain’s left hemisphere is linked to a more positive self-image.
Meditation affects an area of the brain that influences our ability to make decisions, regulate emotions, and to understand and control our attention, reactions and impulses. Meditation even seems to strengthen the cerebral cortex in areas involved in emotional control. And it is not all about alpha waves; theta waves play an equally important part, writes Dr. Svend Davanger.